75 years ago

June 18, 1944

Sunday, no newspaper published

June 19, 1944

The electric storm which swept Pacific county yesterday destroyed a large dairy barn and four head of valuable stock, damaging powerlines and caused sporadic fires.

Lightning struck the Ed Camenvind dairy barn near Holcomb at 6:18 o’clock, destroying it, four head of milch cows and hundreds of dollars worth of feed and milking apparatus. Camenvind, who was in the barn at the time with his small daughter, Lois, was knocked unconscious by the strike. He recovered in time to save both his daughter and himself. Forty-nine head of cattle also in the barn were led to safety by neighbors, who formed a bucket brigade in a futile attempt to save the building.

50 years ago

June 18, 1969

Marine Lance Cpl. Brian Fletcher, son of Mr. and Mrs. Victor Fletcher of Fifth Street in Hoquiam, is destined to leave combat in Vietnam after receiving his third Purple Heart for being wounded in action June 8.

Fletcher’ third wound was from a B-40 rocket — and came just a day after he’d suffered a shrapnel wound. Earlier he’d suffered a grenade wound. His third purple heart automatically removes him from combat.

He was taking part in “Operation Arizona Territory” near Da Nang, when he sustained his wounds.

Fletcher, a 1968 graduate of Hoquiam High School, has been in Vietnam since Jan. 10.

June 19, 1969

The beautifully restored old Dolbeer logging donkey that the Hoquiam Loggers Playday crew resurrected from a junk heap will make its 1969 debut at the Montesano Farm Festival Parade Saturday.

Tooting the whistle on the Dolbeer’s smoke stack will be the Playday Royalty: Queen Marlene Turner and Princesses Judy Worthley and Cari Jo Cyr.

25 years ago

June 18, 1994

• After 30 years teaching physical education, Mary Lou Hansen is planning to have a chance for regular exercise herself.

This week, Hansen, 52, of Montesano, closed up the Hoquiam Middle School gym for the last time.

In her retirement — she hopes among other things — to establish a physical fitness routine. The longtime PE teacher wants to walk, targetshoot and play golf and tennis again.

“I’ve never not worked. This is an opportunity to find out what it means not to be a responsible employee,” she said with a smile.

• Taking advantage of the booming development in Ocean Shores, Levee Lumber recently expanded its operations.

After having had a small sales office in the seaside community for the past 10 years, Levee Lumber purchased a full-service building materials store.

“We felt it was a good time to make the move,” said owner Jerry Erickson.

On April 1, Levee Lumber opened its new store on Point Brown Avenue, the former location of Tom & Jerry’s Lumber and Hardware store. “It’s something that’s been needed here for a long time,” Erickson said.

June 19, 1994

Aberdeen High School art teacher Joyce Swartz often likes to express the idea of change.

And now life imitates art.

After 26 years of teaching at AHS, Swartz, 59, is making a major change. She doesn’t really want to call it “retiring.”

“I’m thinking about it as starting a new life,” she says.

She hopes to pursue projects with her husband, Ron, who retired two years ago after 30 years as an engineering instructor at Grays Harbor College.

“I’m kind of sad to see her go, actually,” said Andrew Zachary, one of her students. “Art teachers and English teachers are not as structured as math or science teachers. They want you to have your opinion. I thought she did a good job of using her influence on us positively,” Andrew said.

Compiled from the archives of The Daily World by Karen Barkstrom