Erwin Christopher Pelzel

Erwin Pelzel, 75, died at his home in Spokane June 22, 2006 after a short illness. He was born Feb. 1, 1931 in Rowena, Texas. He was raised in San Angelo, Texas.

Erwin entered the U.S. Army in September 1949 and served through the Korean War. After the war he settled in the Seattle area, later moving to Mountlake Terrace in 1953. He spent most of his life in the Seattle area working for West Coast Telephone, which later became GTE. He started out as a lineman and later became a pre-wire specialist, working for the company for nearly 30 years, retiring in 1984. In 1998 Erwin and wife Sandie retired in Spokane.

Erwin is survived by his wife Sandie (Walrath) Pelzel, daughter Julie Jodock with husband Jerry and their daughter Jonel of Bothell, step-sons Keith Swanson of Spokane, Daniel Swanson and wife Tina of Lake Stevens and James Swanson of Marysville. He is also survived by three grandsons: Corry, Mike and Alex of Lake Stevens and sisters Loretta West and Rosetta Koon, both of San Angelo, Texas. Erwin also leaves many nieces, nephews and others in Texas.

Graveside services for Erwin will be held at Maple Leaf Cemetery in Oak Harbor on Thursday, June 29, at 2 p.m. Services were entrusted to Burley Funeral Chapel of Oak Harbor.