Max O. Therkelsen, 82

Max O. Therkelsen, formerly from Vashon Island, died Feb. 1, 2002. He was 82 years old.

He was born May 6, 1919, in Sedro Woolley, Wash., to Hazel and Otto Therkelsen.

The family returned to Vashon in 1920 where they settled at Center, so like his father, Max grew up on Vashon Island.

He married Dorothy Rolando on Sept. 3, 1939, and they had one daughter, Janice.

The couple divorced in 1947 and shortly after, Mr. Therkelsen moved to Alaska where he worked as a heavy equipment operator for the Navy in the Aleutian Islands. He later moved to Kodiak where he operated the taxi service, and a restaurant. He married Winifred Pond on May 20, 1957.

Max and Winifred retired to Oak Harbor Washington in the 1960s and later settled in Bellingham where they lived until his death .

Survivors include his wife Winifred, daughter and son-in-law Janice and Tom McCasland of Evergreen, Co., stepchildren LaVella Nelson of Bellingham, Wanda Kramer of Northway Alaska, Virgil and Barbara Pond of Georgia, and Vernon and Ann Pond of Oklahoma; sister and brother-in-law Marie and Gus Lillquist of Vashon Island, brother and sister-in-law Robert and Kay Therkelsen of Vashon Island, and brother-in-law Howard Willsie of Maple Valley.

Other survivors include 22 grandchildren and four great grandchildren.

He was interred Feb. 11 with a private service on Vashon Island.