| Graduation Year | Faculty |
| Date of Passing | Jul 22, 2018 |
| About | A hundred years plus three and a half months ago, a baby named George Ernest Beetchenow was born in Riverside, WA. On April 13th, 1918, Riverside, WA had roughly the population of a second grade class at Wide Hollow Elementary. George left this world on July 22nd, 2018, at just a smidge before 2:00 PM at The Cottage in the Meadow. A century ago, who would have guessed that this shy farm boy from northern Okanogan County would touch and affect the thousands of lives that he has in his 100 years? Dad, his father Walt, mother Ella, and his three brothers, Ed, Walt, and Ted, settled and worked a small ranch in the hills above Riverside, WA, just north of Omak. Dad was a hard working farmer, carpenter, scientist, coach, teacher, and just pretty much a master level jack of all trades. Although never tested, I would suspect his I.Q. was well over 150, perhaps alarmingly higher. Dad was an educator and coach in the Yakima Valley for 30 years. He started at Moxee High in 1950, moved to Eisenhower, then finished at Davis in 1979. George was inducted into the Washington State Track Coaches Hall of Fame in 2012, just before his 95th birthday. To a man, the athletes that my father coached will tell you that although improving their performances in the shot put, discus, and javelin through his guidance, nurturing them beyond their area of performance, made them better men and better people. George is survived by his wife of 25 years, Juanita Beetchenow of Yakima. He is also survived by his son William (Bill) Beetchenow and his wife Cherie, along with their children Wyatt Beetchenow, and Natalie Beetchenow, all of Yakima. Also surviving are his son Randolph (Randy) Beetchenow and his wife Kathy, of Union Gap, WA. George also has surviving nieces and nephews in Oregon, and Monroe, with the bulk of Dad’s kin still living in the Omak area. George was also blessed with the love and support of Juanita’s six children, Kim (Mark) Reeves, Edward (Leslie) Owen, Jody Owen, Terina Owen (James Needles), Spencer (Mary) Owen, and Michael (Christa) Owen. Juanita’s children also gifted the family with 11 grandchildren. George is preceded in death by his wife of over 40 years, Evelyn Francis Beetchenow; his three brothers, Edward of Monroe, Walter of Omak, and Theodore of Malott; one nephew, Steve of Okanogan County; and one of Juanita’s grandchildren. George’s Memorial Service will be held on Saturday, July 28th at 1:00 PM at Unity Spiritual Life Center, 401 S. 8th Ave., Yakima, WA 98902. To celebrate George’s life, please visit www.keithandkeith.com. |
