Arlene Ferson (Hans) Alexander passed away on August 23, 2009, at Ellensburg, Washington, following a four-month battle with Pancreatic cancer. She was born March 10, 1921 in Sunnyside, Washington, to John William "Billy" Hans and Lois Isabel Ferson. She graduated from Sunnyside High School in 1939 and attended Yakima Valley Business College before becoming employed by the Old National Bank in Sunnyside.
She married Lewis B. Alexander on August 30, 1942.
During World War II, Lewis served in the South Pacific on the U.S.S. Gridley, a destroyer in the fleet of Admiral "Bull" Halsey. Arlene had a military security clearance and worked for the U. S. Army Engineers in the office of Land Acquisitions in Prosser and Wenatchee as a secretary. This office was purchasing land for the Hanford Nuclear Project and was under the command of General Lesley Groves, who was also overseeing the atomic bomb testing in Los Alamos, New Mexico. Lewis and Arlene were in New York City for both V-J Day and V-E Day experiencing all of the confetti, parades, and horns blowing from cars and the ships in the harbor.
Back in Sunnyside, Lewis farmed on the corner of Van Belle and Washout roads until 1954, when they sold the farm, moved into town and Lewis went to work for the Marathon Corp. (later purchased by American Can Co.). Arlene worked as an accountant at Boyd, Olafson, & Co., then at UniGas, and as a secretary at the United Methodist Church in Sunnyside (1968-1982). They also became genealogists tracing their ancestors across the country. In 1997, they settled in Ellensburg, Washington, to be close to their children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren. They became members of the Kittitas County Genealogical Society where Arlene was a volunteer librarian. Lewis passed away July 24, 2007 after a short illness
Arlene is survived by her son Jerry Alexander of Elmer City, daughter Judy (and Bill) Clayton of Ellensburg, grandson Chad (and Tammy) Hull of Yakima, granddaughter Jackie (and Ray) Martin of Ellensburg, and step-grandchildren Ruth (and Roger) Oliver of Ellensburg, Tammy Dresen of Olympia, and Jason (and Amanda) Clayton of Lawton, Oklahoma, and 20 great grandchildren including Gwen and Alexander Hull, Kaitlyn and Tyler Martin.
She married Lewis B. Alexander on August 30, 1942.
During World War II, Lewis served in the South Pacific on the U.S.S. Gridley, a destroyer in the fleet of Admiral "Bull" Halsey. Arlene had a military security clearance and worked for the U. S. Army Engineers in the office of Land Acquisitions in Prosser and Wenatchee as a secretary. This office was purchasing land for the Hanford Nuclear Project and was under the command of General Lesley Groves, who was also overseeing the atomic bomb testing in Los Alamos, New Mexico. Lewis and Arlene were in New York City for both V-J Day and V-E Day experiencing all of the confetti, parades, and horns blowing from cars and the ships in the harbor.
Back in Sunnyside, Lewis farmed on the corner of Van Belle and Washout roads until 1954, when they sold the farm, moved into town and Lewis went to work for the Marathon Corp. (later purchased by American Can Co.). Arlene worked as an accountant at Boyd, Olafson, & Co., then at UniGas, and as a secretary at the United Methodist Church in Sunnyside (1968-1982). They also became genealogists tracing their ancestors across the country. In 1997, they settled in Ellensburg, Washington, to be close to their children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren. They became members of the Kittitas County Genealogical Society where Arlene was a volunteer librarian. Lewis passed away July 24, 2007 after a short illness
Arlene is survived by her son Jerry Alexander of Elmer City, daughter Judy (and Bill) Clayton of Ellensburg, grandson Chad (and Tammy) Hull of Yakima, granddaughter Jackie (and Ray) Martin of Ellensburg, and step-grandchildren Ruth (and Roger) Oliver of Ellensburg, Tammy Dresen of Olympia, and Jason (and Amanda) Clayton of Lawton, Oklahoma, and 20 great grandchildren including Gwen and Alexander Hull, Kaitlyn and Tyler Martin.
Arlene Ferson (Hans) Alexander passed away on August 23, 2009, at Ellensburg, Washington, following a four-month battle with Pancreatic cancer. She was born March 10, 1921 in Sunnyside, Washington, to John William "Billy" Hans and Lois Isabel Ferson. She graduated from Sunnyside High School in 1939 and attended Yakima Valley Business College before becoming employed by the Old National Bank in Sunnyside.
She married Lewis B. Alexander on August 30, 1942.
During World War II, Lewis served in the South Pacific on the U.S.S. Gridley, a destroyer in the fleet of Admiral "Bull" Halsey. Arlene had a military security clearance and worked for the U. S. Army Engineers in the office of Land Acquisitions in Prosser and Wenatchee as a secretary. This office was purchasing land for the Hanford Nuclear Project and was under the command of General Lesley Groves, who was also overseeing the atomic bomb testing in Los Alamos, New Mexico. Lewis and Arlene were in New York City for both V-J Day and V-E Day experiencing all of the confetti, parades, and horns blowing from cars and the ships in the harbor.
Back in Sunnyside, Lewis farmed on the corner of Van Belle and Washout roads until 1954, when they sold the farm, moved into town and Lewis went to work for the Marathon Corp. (later purchased by American Can Co.). Arlene worked as an accountant at Boyd, Olafson, & Co., then at UniGas, and as a secretary at the United Methodist Church in Sunnyside (1968-1982). They also became genealogists tracing their ancestors across the country. In 1997, they settled in Ellensburg, Washington, to be close to their children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren. They became members of the Kittitas County Genealogical Society where Arlene was a volunteer librarian. Lewis passed away July 24, 2007 after a short illness
Arlene is survived by her son Jerry Alexander of Elmer City, daughter Judy (and Bill) Clayton of Ellensburg, grandson Chad (and Tammy) Hull of Yakima, granddaughter Jackie (and Ray) Martin of Ellensburg, and step-grandchildren Ruth (and Roger) Oliver of Ellensburg, Tammy Dresen of Olympia, and Jason (and Amanda) Clayton of Lawton, Oklahoma, and 20 great grandchildren including Gwen and Alexander Hull, Kaitlyn and Tyler Martin.
She married Lewis B. Alexander on August 30, 1942.
During World War II, Lewis served in the South Pacific on the U.S.S. Gridley, a destroyer in the fleet of Admiral "Bull" Halsey. Arlene had a military security clearance and worked for the U. S. Army Engineers in the office of Land Acquisitions in Prosser and Wenatchee as a secretary. This office was purchasing land for the Hanford Nuclear Project and was under the command of General Lesley Groves, who was also overseeing the atomic bomb testing in Los Alamos, New Mexico. Lewis and Arlene were in New York City for both V-J Day and V-E Day experiencing all of the confetti, parades, and horns blowing from cars and the ships in the harbor.
Back in Sunnyside, Lewis farmed on the corner of Van Belle and Washout roads until 1954, when they sold the farm, moved into town and Lewis went to work for the Marathon Corp. (later purchased by American Can Co.). Arlene worked as an accountant at Boyd, Olafson, & Co., then at UniGas, and as a secretary at the United Methodist Church in Sunnyside (1968-1982). They also became genealogists tracing their ancestors across the country. In 1997, they settled in Ellensburg, Washington, to be close to their children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren. They became members of the Kittitas County Genealogical Society where Arlene was a volunteer librarian. Lewis passed away July 24, 2007 after a short illness
Arlene is survived by her son Jerry Alexander of Elmer City, daughter Judy (and Bill) Clayton of Ellensburg, grandson Chad (and Tammy) Hull of Yakima, granddaughter Jackie (and Ray) Martin of Ellensburg, and step-grandchildren Ruth (and Roger) Oliver of Ellensburg, Tammy Dresen of Olympia, and Jason (and Amanda) Clayton of Lawton, Oklahoma, and 20 great grandchildren including Gwen and Alexander Hull, Kaitlyn and Tyler Martin.
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