SCHAAP, WARNE N.
Warne N. Schaap Sr., 76, passed away Saturday morning Oct. 2, 1999 at home in Yakima. He was born Dec. 26, 1922 in St. Paul, Minnesota, the son of Rev. J. O. Schaap and Grace (Nelson) Schaap.
Warne enlisted in the Navy December of 1940 and was assigned to the Marines as a corpsman serving with the Carlson’s Raiders. After the service, he received his degree from Notre Dame in June of 1947. Upon graduation he taught school in Craigmont, Idaho. Following that, he spent four years with Upjohn and three years with Ciba in the pharmaceutical industry. He then went to work in Nampa, Idaho, as a hospital administrator.
In 1962, he moved to Ellensburg to oversee the construction of Kittitas Valley Community Hospital and to assume the position of administrator for 18 years. Warne was also instrumental in developing the ambulance service that is now in Ellensburg.
Clubs and organizations that he was affiliated with are the Ellensburg Elks, Yakima Elks and Country Club, Veterans of Foreign Wars Post #379, Ancient Free and Accepted Masons of Idaho, Yakima York Rite Council #12, member Afifi Shrine Temple in Tacoma, Royal Order of Jesters, and served eight years on the Board of Directors for the Shriners Hospital for Children in Spokane and a member of the Englewood Christian Church.
Warne, as most know, was a very avid golfer. Along with his career eight holes in one, he “shot his age” several times over the past few years.
Surviving family members include his wife Lois (Bemis) Schaap of Yakima; daughter, Sandi (Bill) Nelson of Granger, Ind.; son, Warne Jr. (Ina) of Selah; daughter, Linda (Pat) Clerf of Ellensburg; daughter, Stacey (Cliff) Day of Anchorage; step-sons, Ron Bemis and Greg (Pati) Bemis of Yakima; brothers, Gordon (Louella) Schaap of Loveland, Colo. and Roger (Janette) Schaap of Garden City, Idaho; former wife, Gwen Axell of Yakima and numerous grandchildren, great-grandchildren, nieces and nephews.
A memorial service will be held at Englewood Christian Church, Englewood and 44th Ave. on Tuesday Oct. 5 at 2 p.m. If desired, memorial contributions can be made to Shriners Hospital for Children care of Keith and Keith Funeral Home.