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History is Happening in Redmond!
The Redmond Recorder 
1
Open letter to owners of a pioneer landmark 
It may surprise many residents that Redmond’s two cemeteries are owned by the world’s largest cemetery company, Service Corporation International. The City in 1997 transferred ownership of the Redmond Community Cemetery, where many of the City’s pioneers rest, to SCI,which also owns Cedar Lawns Memorial Park across the street.At the Redmond Historical Society’s October meeting,many in the audience decried what they feel is a deterioration of the Community Cemetery in recent years.Below is our plea to SCI and to the City: 
 The Redmond Historical Society and many of its members are unhappy about the minimalist caretaking of the Redmond Community Cemetery, whereuneven and brown patches of grass, a lack of any benches and challenging walking/wheelchair surfaces make for an unpleasant experience. This is the place where most of our pioneers are buried, and should be a tribute to them. Moreover, in 1999 it was designated one of Redmond’s 16historic gems.
 
Some locals would like the Community Cemetery back in City control, but inany case we urge SCI to improve the area with:
 
 Well maintained grass
 
Benches
Continued on Page 3
The Redmond Recorder
 November 2003 Vol. 5, No. 9 Redmond Historical SocietyOur mission:
To discover, recover, preserve, share and celebrate Redmond’s history
 
16600 NE 80
th
St, Room 106, Redmond, WA, 98052 425-885-2919www.redmondhistory.org redmondhistory@msn.comOffice hours: Mondays-Thursdays, 1-4pm
 
 Nov. 8 speaker:
Tom Traeger
Getting to know Kenmore
What do Redmond andKenmore have in common?European roots for one.Kenmore Heritage Societypresident Tom Traeger willdiscuss our similarities andKHS’ work on publishing acommunity history book.
Oct. 11 speaker:
Patrick Hirsch
City of Redmond TV journalist Patrick Hirschshared some of his favoriteclips from Point of View,the City’s cable program onChannel 21, as well as itemsfrom one of his hobbies:collecting kitsch, some of them well worthy of beingdeclared historical!
Nov. 8 meeting
2-3:30 pm
Old Redmond SchoolhouseCommunity Center
No December meeting ornewsletter. See you inJanuary!
Readers are urged to letSCI know of your thoughtsby calling SCI’s BruceArmstrong at425-885-2414.For more about Houston-based Service CorporationInternational, check itsWeb site atwww.sci-corp.com
Redmond Community Cemetery needs TLC
 
History is Happening in Redmond!
The Redmond Recorder 
2
Barney Reilly and her Redmond Recollections
The late
Loana ‘Barney’ Reilly
left behind 16 beautifullydetailed watercolor scenes, painted from memory of heryouth in Redmond between 1928-1931. Her husband,
MalReilly
, has provided copies to the Society and last Septemberdedicated a temporary display at the Old Schoolhouse.While Barney was unable to finish the 50 scenes she hadplanned for before she passed away last summer, she didleave behind detailed captions for the 16, which only recentlywere found. Mal said he’ll be providing those, which arewritten at a child’s level and include a moral, and eventurning the scenes and descriptions into a book.The drawing above shows Barney watching a King County health inspector post anotice that the family home is under quarantine because her brother
LavernJohnson
, seen by the door, has scarlet fever. The family home was just across thestreet from the Old Schoolhouse, where the Methodist Church parking lot existstoday. Barney’s parents were
Myrtle Duffy
and
Ernest Johnson
. She was born inthat house in 1923 and lived there through her school years.The 16 scenes are now in the Society’s office for those wishing to take a look.Mal, who lives in Arizona, welcomes calls to talk about the scenes and Barney’s life.He can be reached at 623 544-1175.
Society Business
Didn’t get recentnewsletters?
Many folks didn’t, and weapologize. The mailing errorhas been fixed and pastissues can be printed/read onour Web site atwww.redmondhistory.org.Copies are also at the office._____________________
Volunteers needed:
Overlake bazaar
We’ll be selling Societymerchandise at the OverlakeChurch holiday bazaar onNov. 21. Call Doris Schaibleat 425 823-0562 if you canvolunteer for a few hours.
 Lawyer
Very occasional review of documents/contracts. CallMiguel at 425 869-9806.
Office staff 
Greet visitors, help withsmall tasks as regular orsubstitute. Call Judy Lang at425 823-3551.
Web site:
Back issues of ournewsletter are online atwww.redmondhistory.org 
Membershiprenewals:
Please don’t forget to renewfor 2003. We actually havefewer members so far thisyear than last year, evenwith more people receivingthis newsletter than ever!Use the form on the back page to renew or to join forthe first time.
 
History is Happening in Redmond!
The Redmond Recorder 
3
Redmondiscing
Dr. Sherwin Shinn, a Societymember, has been namedCitizen of the Year by theWashington State DentalAssociation for his volunteerwork. He made newsheadlines when he helpedbring a Bolivian boy toSeattle for lifesaving spinalsurgery. And he and hiswife, Jerri, run the nonprofitInternational SmilePowerFoundation, creating dentalclinics in developingcountries. We’re all smilesfor Sherwin!
Redmond Community Cemetery
 
 continued from Page 1
 
 
Improve vehicle path by making it also accessible by wheelchair. These are basic features for the contemplation and prayer natural to such a site. They are also vital for the mobility of older visitors and those who are physically challenged. The hope is not to duplicate the look at Cedar Lawns, but to restore theCommunity Cemetery to its previous glory. Members cited the work at Kirkland’scemetery as an example of proper maintenance. When the City transferred ownership of the Community Cemetery in 1997, oneCity Public Works employee was quoted by 
The Seattle Times 
as saying it was a good thing for the community. Six years later, it’s hard for the Society to believethat.
Barn lost todevelopment
The barn on NE 116
th
  just west of Avondalehas been torn down tomake a retention pondfor new homes. TheSociety worked withproperty owner
LeoFischer
and theWoodinville HistoricalSociety to try to save itbut learned about it toolate. Known as the
Beba/Crosby
barn, itwas painted by
RussGoetschius
and used inour 2003 barns calendar.
Nokomis dedication
Nokomis members
Audrey Gorlick
, sitting, and
Amo Marr
chat with
Mayor Rosemarie Ives
at thetribute to the group at the Redmond Library lastmonth. Other Nokomi members, as well as library director
Bill Ptacek
and managing librarian
Michele Drovdahl,
were among those present.
Web site kudos
UW student
Winston Lee
sentthis praise afterturning to our Website for a geographypaper on Redmond:
“Your website has been a great resource forinformation for me about Redmond.” 
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