David Nicholson
April 1, 1944 – Nov. 11, 2025
David Ross Nicholson, 81, of Vancouver, Washington, died on Veterans Day, Nov. 11, 2025, in Vancouver from complications of Parkinson’s disease. He was born on April 1, 1944, in Gooding, Idaho, to Clifford and Ruth Nicholson. There, he attended school and graduated from Gooding High School in 1963. In 1965, he entered the U.S. Army and served in Vietnam as a field radio repairman before receiving an honorable discharge in 1968. Following his military service, David worked as an electrician, primarily in the irrigation industry, until his retirement in 2005. He was also an active amateur radio operator (ham), known by his call sign N7OFW. He was preceded in death by his parents Clifford and Ruth, his brothers Roger and Neal and his sister, Wanda.
Sarah ‘Sally’ Robinson Hultenschmidt
Aug. 11, 1933 – April 20, 2026
Sarah “Sally” Robinson Hultenschmidt was born on Aug. 11, 1933, in Seattle, Washington, and passed away on April 20, 2026, at her home in Warden, Washington. In 1976, Sally moved from Western Washington to Warden, where she built a life centered on family, friendships and community. She was known for her warm heart, her strong spirit and the kindness she shared with everyone around her. Sally worked at the Corral Café for 15 years and later served as a baker for the Warden School District for 27 years. Through her work, she became a familiar and valued part of the community, touching many lives with her caring nature and dedication.
Dennis Jay Pegram
June 24, 1962 – May 9, 2026
Dennis Jay Pegram, born June 24, 1962, in Othello, Washington, passed peacefully at home May 9, 2026, in Moses Lake, Washington. Dennis grew up living just outside of Othello with his parents and three siblings. Growing up on the farm, he enjoyed coyote hunting and dirt bike riding with his brothers and neighbors. He enjoyed running and was a fantastic athlete. Dennis was forever the instigator of a practical joke, whether it was on family, friends or co-workers. No one was safe. He was the favorite uncle of the nieces and nephews. He enjoyed spending time “junking” with his dad and finding great treasures.
Emmitt Jay Tatum
January 17, 2001 – April 21, 2026
It is with great sorrow that we announce that Emmitt Jay Tatum passed away on April 21, 2026. Emmitt was born Jan. 17, 2001, in Moses Lake where he was raised. He is survived by his mother Amber Tracy and father Brandon Tatum, brother Zeb, sister Bethany, wife Zoe and grandparents Doug and Betty Tatum and Lewis and Kathy Mason, along with a large extended family.
Elvira Cruz Perez
1941-2026
Elvira Cruz Perez, 84, of Moses Lake, Washington, passed away on May 7, 2026, in Moses Lake. She was born in 1941 in Asherton, Texas, to Cleofas Cruz and Refugia Cruz Zamora. Elvira was united in marriage to Cliofas Perez on June 22, 1961, in Moses Lake, Washington. She was a devoted wife, loving mother, grandmother, great-grandmother and great-great-grandmother who dedicated her life to caring for her family as a homemaker. She attended school through the eighth grade and was a faithful member of the LDS church. Elvira enjoyed tending to her roses, attending church services, and exercising. Her family and faith were at the center of her life, and she will be remembered for her kindness, strength, and devotion to those she loved.
Kenneth Hansen
Kenneth Hansen, 87
Pauline Martina (Ruiz) Hines
Pauline was born in Chillicothe, Texas, to Paul and Hannah (Turner) Ruiz. "Our" Pauline passed away April 8 in Moses Lake at the age of 91 after a brief illness. In 1943 the family left Texas, moving to Bremerton, Washington, to contribute to the war effort. In 1945, at the war's end, Tacoma became home. After graduating from Stadium High School, the great move to Los Angeles, California was her next move. In the early 1970s, she moved back to Tacoma to care for her beloved mother, Hannah Bell. In 1981, the two moved to Moses Lake to be with the family, as their home had been sold to make room for the Tacoma Dome.
L.D. Green
March 30, 1963 – April 27, 2026
L.D. Green, 63, was born on March 30, 1963, to Jack and Martha Green in Grand Coulee, Washington, (after which the hospital was torn down to make way for the third turbine of the dam). They left the family wheat ranch a year later and moved to Enumclaw, Washington after Jack contracted double pneumonia. They lived there for 6 years before moving to Kittitas, Washington. There L.D. participated in 4-H, showed in the Simmental Association and enjoyed fixing up old Fords and Firebirds. He married the love of his life, Gwen Weidenbach, on June 28, 1984. They remained in the Kittitas Valley, farming and ranching, for many years and welcomed two children. While he worked hard all year, he took time off every summer and fall to pack mules into the mountains to go camping and hunting with friends and family. On Dec. 26, 1997, they moved to Dubois, Idaho, and eight months later bought property in Tensed, Idaho, where they farmed and built a house, taking the cows back to Ellensburg during the winter. In 2000, they started homeschooling and lived a nomad lifestyle, moving around Central Washington wherever the cows and hay took them. In 2006, they bought a place in Othello where they finally settled down.
Karen Christine Edwards
May 5, 1943 – May 8, 2026
Karen Edwards, 83, known by many in Moses Lake as the “nursery lady” and the longtime owner of Edwards Nursery, passed away on May 8, 2026. Born May 5, 1943, in Seattle to nurseryman Gerald William Munro and Jean Kathryn (Jespersen) Munro of Bothell, Washington, Karen graduated from Washington State University in 1965 and became a high school teacher in Warden and Raymond, Washington, before marrying David Edwards and starting a nursery, following in her father’s footsteps. Always a teacher at heart and revered for her vast horticultural knowledge, Karen shared her passion for plants and appreciation for people with everyone she met.
Karen Lucille Heilman
Karen Lucille Heilman, 84, of Moses Lake, Washington, went home to be with the Lord surrounded by her family. Karen was born on May 20, 1941, in Wenatchee, Washington, to Tom and Vivian Jackson. She was the second of four children, joining her sister JoAnn, with brothers Fred and Randy arriving in the years that followed. Karen’s early years were spent in Cashmere, where her father built and operated Pioneer Market, before the family later moved to Ephrata and eventually settled in Soap Lake. Karen attended school in Ephrata through the eighth grade and went on to graduate from Soap Lake High School as part of the first class to attend all four years at the newly-established school. During her senior year, she was honored as the very first Homecoming Queen – just one reflection of her warmth, kindness, and the way she was loved by those around her.
