75 years ago

April 24, 1942

Henry McCleary’s old sawmill is leaving town, too, just as Henry McCleary himself left a few months ago when he withdrew from business and sold all the company holdings to the Simpson Logging company.

The old sawmill was a landmark in McCleary these many years. It closed down in 1931 after operating 26 years.

Henry’s “kid brother” Leonard has been the postmaster in town for 21 years and he’s not leaving. He’s “Henry’s kid brother” because he is just 67, while Henry is 81. But in three more years Leonard will have to retire. He will have reached the maximum postal service age — 70.

50 years ago

April 24, 1967

Hoquiam — Beep … Beep … Beep.

Residents of the East Hoquiam Road area have been hearing mysterious, high-pitched “beep-beep” sounds for the last 10 days, and this weekend Civil Defense officials and the Grays Harbor County Sheriff’s Office launched an official beep-beep investigation.

“We think we have the beep-beep pinned down as emanating from somewhere in the vicinity of three tall trees about a mile and a half back in the woods behind the Pellegrini home,” said Mrs. Betty McClelland, county civil defense coordinator. She said the noise is similar to beep-beeps heard earlier this year by numerous Copalis Crossing and Humptulips area people.

Pellegrini’s son, John, a sophomore at Hoquiam High School, and several other boys are going to explore the area more thoroughly this afternoon. Pellegrini’s son-in-law, Don Barton, an experienced logger, is going to climb the tree that the beep-beeps seems to be coming from.

“We don’t know what’s causing those noises, but we’re sure going to try to find out,” McClelland said.

25 years ago

April 24, 1992

Gary Parfitt had worked as a security guard at Tel Aviv, a real estate agent in Aberdeen and served as a Hoquiam City Councilman.

Then, at 48, an age when some might begin thinking about retirement, Parfitt began thinking about a new career.

Seven years later, Parfitt is one of the most admired detectives in the Grays Harbor County Sheriff’s Office.

“I wish I had a dozen more like him,” says Chief Criminal Deputy Rick Scott.

Amiable, tenacious, thorough and savvy, Parfitt has been named The Daily World’s Police Officer of the Year for 1992.

Compiled from the archives of The Daily World by Karen Barkstrom