Japanese woman rediscovers teenage roots in Issaquah
August 30, 2011
The story Miku Banno and Issaquah’s Barrie and Margaret Austin tell isn’t necessarily complicated, but it covers just over a few decades.
Moto and Miku Banno prepare sushi on the deck of the Austin family home during their recent visit to Issaquah. Contributed
As of August, in fact, it was 21 years ago to the month that Miku Banno first visited Issaquah.
At the time, she was 17 and a high school student who came as part of a program run by the Japanese government.
“I had been interested in the U.S.A. since I was little,” Banno said.
Her family had served as host to a visiting American girl when Banno was about 12.
“At that time nobody spoke English in my family and she felt homesick,” Banno continued. “I didn’t do anything for her and I was so sorry about it.”
With her family, Banno traveled to Guam and Hawaii, and then spent a month in Canada, including a short amount of time living with a local family.
“It was only a few days, so I wanted more,” she said.
It was a short time later that she ended up in Issaquah for about a month on a trip that also included an excursion to Disneyland.
Strand, Beckwith
August 30, 2011
Lauren Strand, of Sammamish, and Patrick Beckwith, of Spanaway, were married July 16, 2011, at the Family Residence in Grapeview.
Lauren Strand and Patrick Beckwith
Grandfather Wayne Beckwith officiated.
The bride is the daughter of Kurt and Carla Strand, of Sammamish. Her maid of honor was Sarah Alberts. Bridesmaids were Casey Aydel, Claire Defouw and Katie Beckwith; junior attendant was Mariah Beckwith.
A 2005 graduate of Skyline High School, Lauren earned a degree in physiology in 2009 and is working on a master’s degree in teaching at the University of Washington, Tacoma.
The groom is the son of Forrest and Donna Beckwith, of Issaquah. His best man was Forrest Scott Beckwith II. His groomsmen were Austin Strand, Sean Lambrecht and Teddy Beckwith.
Patrick is a 2003 graduate of Skyline High School. He graduated from the United States Military Academy in West Point, N.Y., in 2008. He is a captain at Joint Base Lewis-McChord.
The newlyweds climbed Mount Rainier with a family group. Their real honeymoon will be when Patrick returns from deployment.
Lloyd John Hickey
August 30, 2011
Lloyd John Hickey, of North Bonneville, passed away Aug. 14, 2011, at the age of 75.
Lloyd was born March 29, 1936, in White Salmon, to Lloyd W. and Edythe Hickey. He was raised in Glenwood, where he graduated from high school in 1954.
Lloyd married Margie Williams, from Goldendale, in 1956. Lloyd and Margie had two sons, Steve and Jeff. Lloyd and Margie would later divorce and then in 1968, Lloyd moved to Seattle, where he worked as a long-haul truck driver.
Who’s News
August 30, 2011
New veterinarian joins Issaquah Veterinary Hospital
Dr. Lynne Kunitz joined the Issaquah Veterinary Hospital in June.
Kunitz graduated from the University of Wisconsin-Madison School of Veterinary Medicine with her doctorate degree in 1994.
A Wisconsin native, she moved to Issaquah six years ago with her husband and two children. She spent the past several years practicing emergency and critical care medicine before taking some time off to raise her children.
Kunitz has been an active volunteer in the Issaquah community and is now proud to serve as a veterinarian, focusing on geriatrics and preventative medicine. In her spare time, she enjoys swimming, biking, running, camping and skiing.
Kunitz sees patients on Mondays and Thursdays and some Saturdays.
Issaquah Veterinary Hospital is at 795 First Ave. N.W. Call 392-6211.
Edwin Andrew Opstad
August 30, 2011
Edwin Andrew Opstad, of Federal Way, and formerly of the Snoqualmie Valley, died Aug. 21, 2011, at age 77.
He joined the Acacia fraternity at the University of Washington, graduating in 1956. After marrying Shirley Thompson in 1956, Ed served in the United States Army for 25 years.
His community activities included Kiwanis, Federal Way Historical Society, Republican Party and Royal Arch Masons.
Ed is survived by his wife Bette; five children; 10 grandchildren; and sister Mary Fuller.
A celebration of Ed’s life will be at 1 p.m. Wednesday, Aug. 31 at Steel Lake Presbyterian Church, 1829 S. 308th St., Federal Way.
Read his full obituary at www.flintofts.com.
Leila May Thurlkill
August 30, 2011
Leila May Thurlkill, 86, longtime resident of Fall City, passed away peacefully on Sunday Aug. 7, 2011, at Riverside Health Care Center in Missoula, Mont., of natural causes. That morning she went through her normal routine. She got up, dressed, went for breakfast and fell asleep for a nap. Only, this time she didn’t wake up.
Leila Thurkill
Leila was born Feb. 12, 1925, in Indiahoma, Okla., to Ray and Ferol Powell. She was raised in Oklahoma and Kansas, lived through the Great Depression and the dust bowl years, and World War II.
She met a dashing World War II pilot and on Sept. 8, 1943, she married Roy C. Thurlkill in Denver. The couple lived in El Dorado and Danville, Ark., before moving in 1954 to Southern California, where they raised four children — Thomas, Keith, Kathy and Michael. They moved to Fall City in 1969. Leila worked as an accountant and bookkeeper and, of course, as a mother.
She was always very involved in her church and enjoyed sewing, reading and gardening. The family always had fresh vegetables from the garden, fruit from the trees, eggs, and sometimes meat from the animals. She and Roy were founding members of the Issasquaws and Braves Square Dance Club. Among the highlights of her life were several vacations to Alaska and many trips across the country to visit friends and family. She loved to spend time with her grandchildren.
Norma Raye Walker
August 30, 2011
Norma Raye Walker
Norma Raye Walker, born Feb. 3, 1942, passed away on Aug. 24, 2011.
She was a wonderful woman, mother and grandmother who was loved by both family and friends and will be dearly missed.
Community Calendar
August 30, 2011
Events
ArtEAST presents the juried exhibition “Driven to Abstraction” opening with an artists reception from 6-8 p.m. Sept. 2, and the exhibit continuing through Oct. 2, at the artEAST Art Center & Up Front Gallery, 95 Front St. N. Call 898-7076 or go to http://arteast.org/2011/07/sep-2011-exhibit.
Labor Day Weekend Celebrations are at the Farmers Market from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Sept. 3 at Pickering Barn, 1730 10th Ave. N.W., featuring the following events:
The Double Barrs perform ragtime ’20s and ’30s swing from 9:30-11:30 a.m. in the courtyard.
Issaquah woman is still waiting out Irene in New York City
August 30, 2011
NEW — 3:30 p.m. Aug. 30, 2011
A nonfiction author and online marketing specialist with a Seattle firm, Issaquah’s Maureen Francisco, 34, was slated to be a speaker at the national convention of Ascend, a nonprofit professional organization for people of pan-Asian background.
Expected to draw up to 1,500 people, the convention was set for Aug. 27-29 in New York City. As you might have guessed, Hurricane Irene washed out those plans.
Francisco arrived in New York on Thursday. She said she was in business meetings all day Friday, emerging to find out the convention was cancelled because of the impending arrival of Irene. Without the convention to keep her in the city, Francisco changed her Tuesday flight home to Monday.
“I was trying to outsmart Irene, but she outsmarted me,” Francisco said from a hotel room in Manhattan.
Issaquah grad named starting QB at University of North Dakota
August 30, 2011
NEW — 10:30 a.m. Aug. 30, 2011
Issaquah High School graduate Joey Bradley has been named the starting quarterback for the University of North Dakota in the team’s Thursday season opener at home against Drake.
North Dakota head coach Chris Mussman selected Bradley, a junior college transfer from California, over senior Brent Goska.
Bradley, who will make his NCAA Division I debut, spent last season at Diablo Valley Community College where he led all California community college quarterbacks in passing yards (3,636) and touchdown passes (33) en route to all-state honors.
