Obituaries Jan. 12

E. CAROLYN ELLITHORPE

E. Carolyn Ellithorpe, 79, long-time Colfax resident, died Friday, Jan. 6, 2017. She had been residing at Whitman Health and Rehab in Colfax. A service has been scheduled for Jan. 25 at 11 a.m. at St. Patrick's Catholic Church. Following a reception, burial will be at Greenwood Cemetery in Palouse.

A full obituary will be issued at a later date.

ROBERT BRUCE SMAWLEY

Robert Bruce Smawley, 88, known unofficially as 'Mr. WSU' to many area Cougar fans, died Jan. 1, 2017, at the Guardian Angel Home in Liberty Lake, Wash. Mr. Smawley retired in 2007 after being employed at WSU for more than 50 years.

Born May 8, 1928, in a farm house on the outskirts of Pullman to Lewis and Linnie Critchfield Smawley, he graduated from Pullman High School in 1946 and served two years in the Navy in Hawaii. He returned to Pullman, married Carol Frost in 1950 and earned his degree from WSU in 1952. His positions included athletic ticket manager, Cougar Club coordinator, purchasing agent, director of general services, director of the Performing Arts Coliseum, director of University Relations and assistant to the vice president for University Advancement. His favorite job was working at the Lewis Alumni Centre as WSU’s unofficial goodwill ambassador and history-of-WSU slideshow presenter.

In 2011, he received the Hoot Gibson Distinguished Volunteer Award as a fitting tribute to his life of service to WSU.

The Bob Smawley Courtyard at the Alumni Centre will continue to be a memorial.

Active in the Pullman community as well, he served as president of the Pullman Chamber of Commerce, the Lions Club, the Memorial Hospital Board of Directors and as secretary for the Pullman Council on Aging.

Surviving are his three daughters, Debbie (Richard) Olsen of Las Vegas, Nev., Laurie (Bill) Sahlberg of Liberty Lake, Wash., and Susie (Kurt) Waananen of Maple Grove, Minn .; 10 grandchildren, and 19 great-grandchildren. His wife, Carol, preceded him in death in 2013.

Memorial gifts may be given to the Robert and Carol Smawley Alumni Leadership Award in care of the WSU Foundation.

A reception celebrating his life will be at the Alumni Centre May 12, 2017.

DR. EVAN CHARLES WOODS

A memorial service for Dr. Evan Charles Woods, a native of Tekoa who practiced dentistry in Enumclaw for 35 years, will be at the Enumclaw Field House, Pete’s Pool, at 1 p.m., Saturday, Jan. 14, in Enumclaw.

Dr. Woods died Dec. 14, 2016, at the hospital in Auburn.

Born in Tekoa March 31, 1934, to Leonard and Gladys Woods, he graduated from Tekoa High School with the class of 1952 and went on to graduate from Washington State College and then Northwestern University where he earned a doctorate in dental surgery.

Surviving are his wife, Donna, and five children, Anthony, Patia, Cara, Chelsea and Isaac.

For paid obituaries, see Weekly Pages: Jan. 12

Carol Jean Towne 1943-2017

Nina Harder 1938-2016