80 YEARS AGO

January 26, 1945

Llewellyn Luce, aviation ordnance man second class, for 16 months in a big aircraft carrier, is spending leave here at the home of his parents of W. Second street.

In connection with crossing the international dateline on Dec. 27, Luce said some pretty rugged initiation ceremonies were imposed on the fellows who were on their initial crossing. His happened to be pretty mild though, he recalled, due to the fact that they were in battle the first time he crossed.

One of the most tedious experiences the men on his carrier endured was 53 days without the sight of land. Luce told how some of the fellows had eaten sand, so happy were they to be back on good old terra firma.

“Every time things get pretty tough going in the navy,” he remarked, “all I have to do is think about the boys in foxholes who don’t have such luxuries as mattresses and clean sheets.”

Luce said that he had sustained no wounds worth mentioning. “I guess I’m lucky like the ship,” he shrugged. “Lady Luck has sure smiled pretty broadly on our carrier,” he added.

January 27, 1945

Five stars shine out from the window of a little brown house at 401 Second street. And each star represents one of the five sons of Mrs. Ina Haskins, who each, in his turn, has gone away to war. She is proud of her boys.

James, the oldest, 32, is a motor machinist mate, second class, now serving on an LSM somewhere in the Pacific.

PFC. Robert Haskins, 29, is with the army air force in Alaska.

Corporal Doran “Bud” Haskins, 26, is now stationed with the army in Agra, India. His twin sister, now Mrs. Robert Stevenson, lives in Hoquiam.

William “Bill,” 23, left with the Grays Harbor naval reserve in June, 1941. He served for two years aboard the U.S.S. Grant and is now stationed on a floating drydock somewhere in the Pacific.

Clifford, “Junior,” 20, enlisted in the Seabees shortly after graduation from Hoquiam high school in 1943.

Recently, Mrs. Haskins applied for work in a local war plant. When she wrote to tell her sons of her plans, the letters came thick and fast. The boys don’t want her to go to work. They wanted their “Mom” to stay at home.

Maybe they feel that she has already done her part.

January 30, 1945

Another spectacular finish gave the Hoquiam Grizzlies a 39-37 margin over a fighting Montesano Bulldog quintet in their sixth straight victory in northern division circles. The Bulldogs led most of the way, at one time by 10 points, until the final Grizzly spurt.

With the score tied up at 36 all with one minute remaining, Eddie Gayda pivoted and sank a basket and Ed Kretz added the clincher with a free toss for Hoquiam. Easter followed up with a Montesano free throw, resulting in the final score.

Gayda led the scoring with 22 points, followed by Polsfoot with 21.

January 31, 1945

Russell (Jim) Prentice, seaman first class, who is spending a leave with his mother, Mrs. Russell H. Prentice on Aberdeen Avenue, recently had a reunion with his father, Russell, motor machinist’s mate, first class, and his uncle Sgt. Norman LaBrot, at Honolulu.

Russell H. Prentice, an employee of Grays Harbor Bus lines before his enlistment, was in on the invasion of Saipan and was followed there about four months later by his son, Jim.

Young Prentice, a gunner in the armed guard of a Liberty ship, was also in the Marshalls and Tinian. During the time the ship was in the Pacific, it was necessary, unexpectedly to transport some Seabees to their destination, and as a result the food supplies ran out and the crew lived for 40 days on rice and beans. As soon as the ship came into a harbor, however, small boats were dispatched from shore with fresh meat and vegetables, and that night the sailors feasted on steak, potatoes and lettuce and tomato salad.

Seaman Prentice, who has been in the navy a little more than a year, was graduated from Weatherwax high school and was employed at Rayonier before he enlisted. His uncle Sgt. LaBrot, a former worker at the Schafer mill, is stationed in Honolulu with an amphibious outfit.

55 YEARS AGO

January 25, 1970

Paced by John Matisons with 23 points, the Wishkah Loggers took command of second place in Pacific League standings with a narrow 59-52 win over the Valley Vikings Friday night in Menlo.

The win was the first ever for a Wishkah cage team over the Vikings.

Logger coach Chuck Borberg pointed out Matisons 30 rebounds, 17 caroms by John Davis and Keith Eager’s outstanding defensive job on Viking star John Cable as key factors in the win.

January 28, 1970

With a shrug of his shoulders that modestly de-emphasized his generosity, retired Harbor lumberman George Pauze yesterday established a $50,000 scholarship trust fund for the young people of Hoquiam.

Mr. Pauze, a hearty old gentleman of “past 84” came to Grays Harbor from Montreal in 1907 and parlayed hard work and ingenuity into ownership of a thriving lumber mill.

“You know, I didn’t have a chance to go to college,’ he remarked as he signed the paperwork for the trust fund at the office of attorney, Omar Parker.

Parker and George G. Wandel are the trustees of the scholarship securities trust fund, which will provide a four-year, $1,200 a year scholarship for one Hoquiam High School graduate each year.

January 29, 1970

A talk on expansion of plans for the Oaksridge golf course was heard by members of the Montesano Chamber of Commerce yesterday. Delivering the talk was Ray Morgan, course manager.

He said the course will be open for 18-hole play in April or May, and that plans call for a new pro shop and restaurant on the same site as the old Oaks near the entrance to the course. The structure will contain a coffee shop, dining hall and lounge. Construction and fixtures will cost in excess of $130,000.

The new course, Morgan said, would measure 5,720 yards.

January 30, 1970

Mrs. Anne Evanson, 88 years old and a Brower’s employee since 1928, last night was honored at a special party at the Nordic Inn marking her retirement.

Mrs. Evanson received a television set and praise from her fellow employees at the dinner.

She has been employed with Brower’s as fitter and head of alterations since June 15, 1928, nearly 42 years. She has had as many as five and six women working for her through the years. She will celebrate her 89th birthday shortly.

30 YEARS AGO

January 25, 1995

Fans of the Stafford Creek prison site were cheering like they’d won the SuperBowl Tuesday.

“I think the whole town is kind of experiencing a victory. We won!” said Dorothy Voege, the former Aberdeen City Council member who was co-chairman of the Yes! Stafford Creek Correctional Facility committee.

The Department of Corrections named the site southwest of Aberdeen the site for the next state prison Tuesday. The site off the Westport Highway beat out others in Grandview and Goldendale for a 1,936-bed prison. It will house minimum-medium- and maximum-security prisoners and is scheduled to be built during the 1997-1999 biennium.

25 years ago

January 27, 1995

If you never got a chance to try a Quick’s burger in the four years the fast food drive-up was located in East Aberdeen, you weren’t quite quick enough.

The burger stand, known for its speedy service at the under-a-dollar prices, closed last Friday.

The building will still be home to burgers, fries and other fast food treats, however, the building has been leased to Grays Harbor’s Dairy Queen king, Mike Burgess.

January 28, 1995

• The Bobcats rallied from a 21-point deficit in the second half of regulation play and went on to take a 70-68 win over the Grizzlies in overtime Friday night in Aberdeen.

The boys tied the game up on Kyle Fuhrer’s three-point basket at the buzzer and won it on Jesse Parbon’s last-second basket in overtime.

Underdog Hoquiam had never trailed during regulation time. A near capacity crowd at Sam Benn Gym witnessed the first meeting this season of the Grays Harbor rivals.

• All of the Raymond alumni who showed up for homecoming were treated to a large victory as Raymond beat South Bend, 83-43, in a Pacific League boys’ basketball matchup Friday night.

Coupled with Valley’s loss at Pe Ell, the victory clinched the league’s Southern Division title for the Seagulls, 12-1 in league and 15-4 overall. Raymond coach Mark Miller cited Luke Heath and Chris Flemetis as having good games though he was pleased with all the players’ performances.

January 29, 1995

People can do the darndest things with a pair of socks and a little determination.

At least Hoquiamite Suzanne Morris can.

Morris is the creator of Short Stuff — a line of soft-sculpted figures that are carefully handcrafted in the forms of seasonal characters and teddy bears. And their essential components are various types of everyday stockings.

Morris got the idea for sculpting from an article she read in Women’s Day 10 years ago — and she’s been at it ever since.

Morris spends many of her weekends selling her creations on the “teddy bear circuit” around the Northwest and at local bazaars. Periodically, her work can be found at Lil’ Iodine’s Silk Flowers and Gifts in Ocean Shores.

January 30, 1995

“I am not going to retire. I’m going to re-fire in the spirit!” the Rev. Joe Kramis told about 500 friends and admirers at the 7th St. Theatre in Hoquiam Saturday night.

The “gentle roast” of the inspirational Catholic priest featured music from different cultures, including Hispanic, Hawaiian, Native American and Austrian.

Kramis, a priest for 38 years, is retiring soon as pastor of Our Lady of Good Help Church in Hoquiam. He plans to redouble his efforts to help displaced timber workers and other disadvantaged people. He also operates a spiritual retreat center at Shelton.

January 31, 1995

AIDS is on the rise in Grays Harbor and Pacific counties, following a trend that shows the rate of new cases is growing faster in rural areas than in Seattle-King County.

“It has increased substantially in the last two years,” said Pat Meldrich, an outreach worker with the Grays Harbor County Health Department.

The county has had a total of 24 cases of full-blown AIDS reported to the health department since record keeping began in 1987. At least six new cases have been reported in the past two years.

The department currently manages the cases of 10 patients with AIDS or HIV, Meldrich said.