Harold Francis Filan, 95, died Oct. 30, 2006, at Careage of Whidbey, Coupeville. He was born Aug. 31, 1911, in Brooklyn, N.Y., to John and Marcella (Walsh) Filan. At eight years of age, Harold moved with his family to Los Angeles, settling near Hollywood. He attended both parochial school and public schools in Los Angeles, but quit when the Great Depression hit to go to work.

Harold worked at a gas station and then began working for the Associated Press. He was married to Lucille Emily Workman on Aug. 4, 1931, in Orange County, Calif. His career was interrupted by the start of World War II. Harold entered the U.S. Navy and became a military photographer. He was assigned to OSS and was sent to Washington D.C. and then to England on a convoy.

Harold returned to the Associated Press following the war and enjoyed a 45-year career as a press photographer. Much of his career was spent as a photographer for the Hollywood scene. He was able to work with some of Hollywood’s greatest film stars and some of the top athletes and political figures and became friends with many of them. He enjoyed golf and was asked to play golf with President Richard Nixon. He covered the death of Marilyn Monroe, the Watts Riots and many of the earthquakes of Southern California. He was sent to cover the death of Ernest Hemingway, to the Pacific Ocean to cover an airline crash and to Hollywood to cover the murder of the Black Dahlia.

Harold retired in 1976. He enjoyed playing golf, fishing and working in his yard. He was devoted to his family. In 1993, Harold and Lucille moved to Oak Harbor to be near their son Dennis “Denny” and daughter-in-law Pamela Filan of Oak Harbor.

Harold requested no formal funeral service be conducted. Cremation was held with private family internment to follow at a later date. Arrangements were entrusted to Burley Funeral Chapel, Oak Harbor.