All Obituaries

Kahla Rose Amos born Kahla Rose Beach in Cosby Missouri on December 1, 1932, quietly and peacefully took her last breath on October 5, 2021, in Tacoma Washington.   She will be remembered by friends, coworkers, siblings Paula Perez and Kathy Gantenbein, and her 65 descendants.  Siblings Michael Beach and James Stokes predeceased Kahla.  She was married to Marvin Phillip Jones, Sr for 25 years.  Her nine children Mary Ledford, Marvin Phillip Jones, Jr (predeceased),...

Arlene Marie Beuning passed away peacefully of natural causes at her home October 5th at the age of 94.  Arlene was born July 9th, 1927 in Reynolds Township, Todd County, Minnesota, the sixth child of George and Edna Rehome.  She grew up there on a farm graduating from nearby  Browerville High School in 1945.  After high school she left for the big city of St. Paul to live with an older sister.  She took a job at Western Electric, soldering together telephone...

Michael Earl Strong July 3, 1934 – October 1, 2021 A Tacoma native, Michael E. Strong was born at St. Joseph Hospital to parents Earl and Cecilia (Hermsen) Strong. He attended Holy Rosary, Bellarmine Prep HS, and graduated from the University of Portland. In 1949, Michael was one of the few freshmen in school history ever to be the starting quarterback for his high school varsity football team, where he continued as a star athlete. Michael was a true patriot. Upon college...

George A. Leone 1949 – 2021 George Anthony Leone passed away on September 29, 2021, at home in the loving care of his family. He was surrounded with prayers, lots of love, and music.  He was 72 years old.  A native of Buffalo, New York, he was one of four sons of Charles H. and Agnes (Scime’) Leone.  He was born on April 8, 1949 and baptized in Holy Angels Church in Buffalo on May 1, 1949. George leaves to mourn his passing his wife, Char, five children, and...

Marsha D. Antush,  80, died Sept. 29, 2021, in Tacoma.  She was born Nov. 22, 1940 in Aberdeen WA. A Graveside Service will be held Monday, Oct. 11, 2021, 1:00pm at Calvary Cemetery. Please leave online condolences at www.gaffneycares.com. Arrangements by Gaffney Funeral Home, 253-572-6003.

Elizabeth “Beth” Ann (Williams) O’Keefe March 3, 1965 -September 9, 2021 Beth O’Keefe, beloved mother, daughter, sister, and aunt, passed away on September 9, 2021, at the age of 56, after a valiant battle with metastatic colon cancer. Beth was born in Ashland, WI, and spent her earliest years in Superior, WI. At the age of 4, she moved with her family to Tacoma, WA, where she attended Grant Elementary and St Patrick’s Catholic School. She was 10 years old,...

Michael Cleary Burkey August 4, 1946 – September 8, 2021. Born in Tacoma, the son of Louis and Theresa Burkey, Mike was the second oldest of seven children and one of a large family of loving grandparents, aunts and uncles and eventually 41 first cousins.  Mike attended Holy Cross and St. Patrick’s grade schools, graduated from Stadium High School and lived all of his life in the area. His early years centered around family and friends, Nanny and Boppy’s house on...

Addolorata (Dorothy) Maria Di Re was born on November 23, 1935 to Antonio and Anna Martelli in Cantalupo, Italy. She was the eldest of three siblings and was raised on a farm in Italy before moving to the United States in 1955. In November of 1958 she married Joseph Di Re who followed her to Tacoma from her home town. Dorothy took pride in working as a surgical technician at St. Joseph’s Hospital for 15 years. In 1971, Dorothy left St. Joseph’s to focus on her children and to...

Frances A. Bass (née Chapin) passed away peacefully on Tuesday, September 7, 2021 in Tacoma, Washington.  She was born on January 25, 1932 in Washington, D.C. and grew up in the city first near Capitol Hill and later in Hillcrest.  She graduated high school from St. Patrick’s Academy in 1950 and Washington School for Secretaries in 1951. She worked as a secretary in the Chemistry Division, of the Naval Research Laboratory for the following six years.  She married...

Frank E. Yaconette, Jr. May 30, 1929  -  September 6, 2021 Frank E. Yaconetti, Jr., passed away peacefully in his sleep at Franciscan Hospice House, after a short illness, at the age of 92. A lifelong Tacoma resident and member of St. Rita’s Parish, he was married in St. Joseph Church in Mullan, Idaho in 1946 to Marian Garitone. They moved to Tacoma shortly thereafter. Frank worked his whole career at the Port of Tacoma, quitting school and beginning at the age of 16. He...