Longtime Hoquiam resident, Sally Jo (Gauvin) Pascoe passed away on Tuesday, Nov. 28, 2023, after a short illness. She was 92.
She was born May 12, 1931, in Hoquiam, Washington to Albert L. Sr. and Marie (Siese) Gauvin. She joined an older brother, Albert L. Gauvin Jr at the family home.
Sally Jo was raised in Hoquiam, attended Our Lady of Good Help (OLGH) Catholic School through the 8th grade, continued her education at Hoquiam Junior High School and graduated from Hoquiam High School in 1949. In high school, she was a member of the BC Club, as well as other clubs, and was involved in different athletics while in school. She attended Grays Harbor Junior College for a year.
She married Dennis Wayne Pascoe at his parent’s home (Vesta and Wayne Pascoe) in Hoquiam on Jan. 14, 1956. Their marriage was blessed in 1980 by Father Michael Carmody at OLGH Catholic Church in Hoquiam. Dennis passed away January 11, 1994.
As a teenager, Sally Jo worked at the family bakery, Siese’s Bakery, where she indulged her love of bread and pastries. After high school, she worked at Washingtonian Print in Hoquiam and then Seattle First National Bank in Aberdeen from 1958 until 1971. Following that, she worked at People’s National Bank for 10 years, moved over to Twin County Credit Union for another 10 years before retiring from banking in 1991. She enjoyed being a banker, working with her coworkers and meeting all the people that came through the doors, many remembering her years after she retired.
A lifelong Harborite, she was active in volunteer activities for more than 65 years. She joined Beta Sigma Phi (Preceptor Omicron chapter) in 1950; raising funds for local projects to include the first Jaws of Life rescue equipment purchased by the Aberdeen Fire Department.
Her Catholic faith was very important to her. She was involved in various activities at OLGH to include reading/lector at the weekend Masses, a member of St. Anthony’s guild, pastoral council member and a member of the Scolia Choir directed by Patty Hubble. She also was on the founding committee that started the OLGH Church bingo, where she was a Bingo caller and counted and disbursed money to the “big winners” for numerous years.
Following her retirement, she found great personal reward in volunteering for Grays Harbor Home Hospice. She would spend time with the patients allowing their caregivers occasional respites. She enjoyed working with the staff and bringing some relief to the patients and their families.
To fill in her spare hours, she was a bookkeeper and volunteer worker for PAWS on a twice-a-week basis for years. Growing up, we always had dogs as pets. Imagine our surprise when she announced she had adopted a cat, Fred, a 9-month-old black and white male. He soon “ruled the roost” and was a great companion and comfort to our mother. She would look at him lovingly and ask, “How did I become so besotted by a cat?”.
She is survived by daughters Deanne Pascoe, Kathryn (Dale) Speakes and Sandy (Bill) Tometich; grandchildren Abby Tometich Brown, Hannah Tometich (Ryan) Reese, Claudia Speakes and Caleb Speakes; great-grandchildren Vivian and Noelle Reese, stepchildren Daniel Pascoe and Julia (Danny) Burgett, step-grandchildren Corinne Burgett (Mark) Van Heel and Kayla Burgett (Ozzie) Silva; and step-great-grandchildren Cecille Van Heel, Coy Van Heel and Nola Silva. She leaves behind numerous family and friends who filled her life with joy.
She was preceded in death by her loving parents Albert Sr. and Marie Gauvin, brother Albert Gauvin Jr, in-laws Vesta and Wayne Pascoe, sister-in-law Donna Appleton and her beloved husband Dennis, who she missed dearly every day since his passing. Our parents had a large group of friends and family who showered our lives with love and laughter. We take comfort in knowing they are all back together again, having a great big card party in Heaven.
We would like to thank the staff at Westhaven Villa for their kindness and love shown to our mother in her final years. The Villa was her home, the staff her family. She loved living there, enjoyed Bingo and the parties, and loved the food. Thank you for the “2 desserts” every meal!
Thank you to Pacific Care and Rehab staff in her final weeks. Your kindness and dignity in her care was a comfort to our family as well as our dear mother.
Thank you to Grays Harbor Community Hospital, Summit Medical Center, Dr. Juliette Erickson MD, Nate Valentine FNP-BC, and Family Medicine of Grays Harbor staff for your years of care and support.
Sally Jo often commented on how grateful she was in life. She was born into a loving family, married a loving man, was blessed by her children and their children. God had blessed her with family and friends, dogs and a cat named Fred.
She has requested donations in her memory be sent to Harbors Home Health and Hospice, 201 7th St, Hoquiam; Friends of the Hoquiam Timberland Library, 420 7th St, Hoquiam; and/or PAWS, PO Box 451, Aberdeen.
Please join us Friday, March 15, 2024, for an 11:45 a.m. Rosary followed by a funeral Mass at Noon at Our Lady of Good Help Catholic Church, 200 L Street, Hoquiam. Inurnment to follow at Sunset Memorial Park in Hoquiam. A reception to follow inurnment at OLGH Parish Hall.
