Losing someone in a small town like Port Angeles feels different. It’s not just a name in the paper; it’s the guy who always sat at the end of the bar at Next Door Gastropub or the woman you’ve seen walking her dog at Ediz Hook for twenty years. This past week has been particularly heavy for the North Olympic Peninsula. We've seen a surge in notices that remind us how tightly woven this community actually is.
Honestly, keeping up with Port Angeles obituaries for the past week can be a bit of a whirlwind. Between the Peninsula Daily News and the local funeral homes, the information comes in waves. If you’ve been away from your phone or haven't grabbed a coffee and a paper lately, you might have missed some significant goodbyes.
Recent Port Angeles Obituaries and Community Losses
The mid-January stretch has brought a long list of names to the forefront. We aren't just talking about statistics here. We are talking about neighbors.
Take James Walter Brooker, whose passing was noted on January 16. Or Kathrine "Kathy" Breitbach, who left us recently at the age of 63. Her family shared a beautiful sentiment about her goal to "arrive to death late, in love, and a little drunk," quoting Atticus. It’s those little human details that make these notices so much more than just dates and locations.
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Richard "Dick" Johnson is another name that surfaced this week. He grew up on a farm in Michigan and brought that work ethic to Port Angeles. He was 92. Think about that—92 years of stories, mostly centered around the grit of farm life and his time enlisting after high school in 1951. People like Dick are the backbone of the "old" Port Angeles we still see in the architecture downtown.
- James Walter Brooker (Passed Jan 16)
- Kathrine Breitbach (Notice Jan 15)
- Richard "Dick" Johnson (Notice Jan 15)
- Darcy Ann Alward (Passed Jan 12)
- Angelita Tecson Braganza (Passed at 98 years old)
Darcy Ann Alward, 74, passed away at her residence. No services were immediately announced, which is pretty common these days as families take a breath to figure out how to best honor their people. Then there’s Angelita Tecson Braganza. 98 years old. Imagine the changes she saw in Port Angeles since she was a young woman.
The Impact on Sequim and Surrounding Areas
We can't really talk about Port Angeles without mentioning Sequim, since our families are so intertwined. James Lee Ward, 76, passed away at his home in Sequim earlier this week. He didn’t want a service—some folks are just private like that.
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Patrick Rollin Moody, also 76, passed at Olympic Medical Center (OMC). It's a reminder of how central OMC is to our lives here. Whether it's the beginning or the end, that hospital is the hub. Speaking of OMC, there’s been a lot of talk lately about the ER wait times and the pressure on our local healthcare system. Dr. Evan Small, the ER director, actually just spoke to the Port Angeles Business Association about these very challenges. It's tough when the place where we say our final goodbyes is under so much stress.
Why Keeping Up With Port Angeles Obituaries for the Past Week Matters
Why do we check these lists? It’s not morbid. It’s about connection.
In a place where you recognize the trucks at the grocery store, knowing who has passed is a way of keeping the community's history alive. When we lose someone like Leah Beth Bauman or Shelly Jean Drabek, we lose a piece of the local memory.
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Local Resources for Finding Information
If you are looking for more specific details or want to send flowers, there are really three main places you should be checking.
- The Peninsula Daily News (PDN): They are the gold standard for local reporting. Their obituary section is updated daily, and they often include the full life stories that families pay to publish.
- Drennan & Ford Funeral Home: Located right on 8th Street, they handle a huge portion of the services in town. Their website often has "Digital Tributes" where you can leave a comment for the family.
- Harper Ridgeview Funeral Chapel: Another staple on 4th Street. They’ve been around forever and usually have the most up-to-date info on when the actual services are happening.
Sometimes the Legacy.com feed for Port Angeles is faster than the print edition, but the print edition usually has the photos and the longer narratives that really capture a person's spirit.
Actionable Steps for the Community
When you see a name you recognize in the Port Angeles obituaries for the past week, it’s easy to feel a bit paralyzed. What do you actually do?
- Check for Service Dates: Many families are opting for "Celebrations of Life" later in the spring when the weather is better. Don't assume you missed the funeral just because the obituary was posted today.
- Contribute to Memorials: Instead of flowers, many local families are asking for donations to the Port Angeles Food Bank or the North Olympic Land Trust. It’s a way to keep their loved one's legacy working for the town.
- Write a Memory: If there’s an online guestbook, use it. Tell the story about the time they helped you jumpstart your car at Safeway. Families treasure those "outsider" perspectives more than you know.
The past week has reminded us that life on the Olympic Peninsula is precious and, frankly, sometimes shorter than we’d like. Whether it's a neighbor who lived to 98 or someone gone far too soon at 40, like Taylor Carl Kutschbach over in nearby Arlington, these losses shape our town.
If you are looking for a specific service time for any of the individuals mentioned, your best bet is to call the funeral home directly. Websites are great, but in Port Angeles, sometimes a quick phone call to Drennan & Ford or Harper Ridgeview is the only way to get the most current logistics for a memorial.