I was diagnosed in June of this year with a rare form of cancer -- most likely caused by the chemicals I used constantly in my 25 years as a print shop operator/owner and manager. It's very disheartening to look this one up on-line -- one of the first stories about it says, "by the time this form of cancer is diagnosed, it's usually too late." My doctors say that I could live up to a year, but most likely will die in 4-6 months. I'm preparing myself and, I hope, my wonderful family and friends. One of the first things I did after the diagnosis was to ask my sister and niece to help me throw a great party for all my friends. It was in a beautiful beer garden (with emphasis on the "garden,") on the most gorgeous day of the year, with great music, hula hoops, balloons and food and beverages, and many more people than I expected to show up. What a wonderful start to my goodbyes! Here's a photo of my sister, me and my brother, John McCartney (class of 1971) at the party.  Then last week my friend Cathe Potter Yonce , Class of '63 and her husband came to visit my from South Carolina. That was quite a treat! Here's a photo of us at the brew pub (upstairs from that beer garden) last Saturday when we, unexpectedly, ran into Sandy Spencer Bonnickson '63, at the Farmers Market.  Cathe's husband Henry, Sandy Spencer Bonnickson '63, Cathe Potter Yonce '63, moi, my boyfriend Phil, and my son Keith. (I call this my "Leslie Stahl" haircut.) That evening we all went to dinner on an island near Bellingham -- Cathe, Keith, Phil, Sandy and Henry (with the house cat).  I have been planning (over the last few years!) to send in a lot more of my old photos to the album on the WHS photo page, and a few stories. Now that I have been forced into early retirement (and how I love it!) I promise I'll try even harder to get the stories done. My love to all, Carole Leone McCartney Moena Leone Carole McCartney Moena passed away this morning from cancer. Longtime Fairhaven resident and businesswoman Leone Moena, 60, died at her home Wednesday morning, September 27th, from the effects of pancreatic cancer, her longtime companion at her side. While family and friends mourn her passing, Leone's generosity and welcoming spirit, her merry heart, and her chuckle-laugh that invited all to embrace joy, will always be of comfort. Upon learning of her illness, in typical Leone fashion, one of her first acts was to launch a grand party to celebrate life with family and friends setting the tone with grace and warmth for everyone for her final months. She was born Carole Leone McCartney on June 3, 1946, to Truman Nathaniel McCartney and Dorothy Ethel (Peterson) McCartney in Red Bluff, Calif. She attended schools in Red Bluff, CA; Fairbanks, Alaska; and Bermuda before graduating in 1964 from Wheelus High School at Wheelus Air Force Base in Tripoli, Libya. She attended the American University in Paris, France. She was employed by Trans World Airlines at their offices in Tripoli and New York, then worked at union offices in Seattle. She also worked at her husband's beauty shop in Ferndale. Later, she was employed as public relations secretary at Intalco Aluminum in Ferndale. She then supervised and operated the print shop at Intalco. Long interested in a homebased business, she opened Express Printing in Fairhaven in the late 1970s, offering quick printing and business printing services a smile and a joke or two at no extra charge. She operated Express Printing for many years, and was active in Whatcom Women in Business and the Fairhaven Association; she was particularly dedicated to the preservation of Fairhaven. She then accepted employment with Premier Graphics of Bellingham where she worked until June. She was married briefly to Marvin Keith Moena in 1968. Leone is survived by her son, Keith Moena of Bellingham; her life partner, Phil Fuehr of Seattle; a sister, Babs Kobersteen of Bellingham; a brother, John McCartney of Seattle; a niece, Kacy Sigl and her family, Ralf, Oscar and Sam, of Bellingham; a nephew, Rick Wheeler of Los Angeles; a grandnephew Kyle Morel of Vancouver, B.C.; a grandniece Amber Wheeler of Rustin, LA. In her final days, she was surrounded by family and grateful and comforted by visits from her many friends. A private celebration of her life will be held. The family asks that donations in lieu of flowers be made in her name to Hospice |