2024 saw the passing of several prominent business and community leaders, including farmer, landowner and businessman Frank Tiegs; Milo Bauder, developer of many south Richland neighborhoods; Lynnette Kay Dodson, owner of Sneakers Pub; and retired owner of Just Roses Flowers & More, Connie Wormington, among others.

Here’s a look back at some of the business community’s notable losses in 2024.

Patricia Turner

May 15, 1934 – Dec. 19, 2023

Patricia Turner, a Hanford manager and 1978 Kennewick Woman of the Year, died Dec. 19, 2023. She was 89. 

Turner, born in Cody, Wyoming, worked at Hanford for 69 years. She was the vice president and project manager of the Innovations Group, program manager at a support contractor to the Richland Operations Office and Office of River Protection and was the program manager for the Salmon Group.

In 1978, she was honored as the Kennewick Woman of the Year. She was a past president of the National Active and Retired Federal Employees Association Tri-Cities Chapter 1192, was active with the Soroptimist and Toastmistress groups, and was a founding member of the Columbia Basin Badger Club.  

Thomas Lee Bailie

March 10, 1947 – Jan. 4, 2024 

Thomas Lee Bailie, a farmer and Hanford “downwinder,” died Jan. 4. He was 76. 

He grew up in a family of farmers north of Pasco and was a farmer and cattle rancher, as well as a potato digger operator. He became involved in the Hanford Downwinders project in the 80s. He was regularly on the news and in papers, and was passionate about the effects of the radiation releases from the nearby nuclear plant. 

He enjoyed traveling, especially to Korea, and once ran for state senator in 1984.  

H.R. Kosmata

May 28, 1930 – Jan. 11, 2024 

H.R. Kosmata, an engineer who was involved in the nuclear industry and active in the B Reactor Museum Association, died Jan. 11. He was 93. 

Born in Ord, Nebraska, Kosmata moved to Richland in 1954 when he took a position as an engineering assistant for General Electric. He held various positions, including as a design engineer involved in the development of the N Reactor. He had a lifelong passion for nuclear power and spent later years working for Washington Public Power Supply System.

After his retirement, he served on the Utility Advisory Committee for 15 years, where he was chairman for five years, and was involved in the B Reactor Museum Association for 18 years, serving as president from 2006-08. 

He helped build his own home on the Columbia River, which he and his family loved.  

Steve Alan Blodgett

Jan. 23, 1952 – Jan. 25, 2024 

Steve Alan Blodgett, who was on the Board of Commissioners for the Kennewick Hospital District, died Jan. 25. He was 72. 

Blodgett was born in Montana and later moved to Kennewick, where he spent nearly 50 years with his wife Virginia Stahn. He worked as a financial controller and spent years in the agricultural industry. He served as treasurer for the Kennewick Hospital District, in addition to serving on the Board of Commissioners, and helped pull the hospital out of bankruptcy.

His involvement in community organizations included being a scoutmaster for the Boy Scouts of America and serving as the president of the Kiwanis club.

Blodgett also loved singing and performing, and spent time with the Mid-Columbia Musical Theatre and Mid-Columbia Mastersingers. 

Philip M. Raekes

Nov. 11, 1931 – Jan. 27, 2024 

Philip M. Raekes, a Tri-Cities lawyer and Benton-Franklin Superior Court judge, died Jan. 27. He was 92.

Raekes was born in Montague, Michigan, and moved to the Tri-Cities with his family. 

He started his own law firm, Raekes, Rettig and Osborne, where he practiced for 35 years. Raekes was elected as Superior Court judge in 1994, and he served until his retirement in 2001, remaining active in retirement as a mediator.  

Frank S. Tiegs

June 3, 1957 – Feb. 8, 2024 

Frank S. Tiegs, a prominent farmer, businessman and landowner, died on Feb. 8. He was 66. 

Tiegs was born into farming and had a passion for agriculture as well as a love of cars. He moved to Pasco after high school and began his farming career. He built his potato, vegetable and fruit businesses even after a 2014 car accident left him paralyzed. 

Tiegs enjoyed learning and had a great ability to envision products. He raised four children with his wife Janet Wyland, whom he married in 1979.  

John J. Doran Jr.

Feb. 16, 1945 – Feb. 29, 2024 

John J. Doran Jr., who spent nearly 50 years at River View High School in Finley, where he was vice principal and athletic director, died on Feb. 29. He was 79.

Doran grew up in Kennewick and attended Columbia Basin College and Eastern Washington College, where he received a master’s degree in education. 

After first teaching in Burbank, Doran spent almost 50 years as the vice principal and athletic director at River View High, where he was also the girls softball coach. He had a passion for playing jokes and never seemed to forget a student.

Frances M. Berting

May 21, 1927 – Feb. 23, 2024 

Frances M. Berting, who worked at Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, died Feb. 23. She was 96.

Berting was an active member of the group that established Los Alamos, Hanford and Oak Ridge as the Manhattan Project National Parks. She worked for PNNL as well as the Lawrence National Laboratory in Livermore, California.  

Lynnette Kay Dodson

March 31, 1961 – April 30, 2024 

Lynnette Kay Dodson, a longtime Tri-Cities restaurateur, died on April 30. She was 63. 

Dodson had worked in the restaurant business for many years, starting from a young age at The Steak Out, then working at The Top Hat. In 1983, she waitressed and managed at Joey’s, then became the owner of Sneakers Pub.  

John Deal Wagoner

Dec. 14, 1940 – June 6, 2024 

John Deal Wagoner, a manager at the Hanford site, died on June 6. He was 83.

Born in Kendallville, Indiana, Wagoner served in the Navy from 1962-71 and held various positions, including deputy manager with Clinch River Breeder Reactor, a manager with Petroleum Reserve, deputy manager with Savannah River Operation, and manager with Richland Operations – Hanford Site. 

Milo Boyd Bauder

Feb. 1, 1931 – July 11, 2024 

Milo Boyd Bauder, who developed many south Richland neighborhoods, died July 11. He was 93. 

Bauder was born in Sterling, Colorado, and moved to the Tri-Cities in 1941, where he spent most of his life. He ranched and farmed with his wife Donna Brewer before turning their land into the Meadow Springs golf community. 

Bauder developed many south Richland neighborhoods, including Meadow Springs, Hills West, Crested Hills, Falcon Crest and WestCliffe, as well as SouthCliffe in Kennewick, totaling over 30 developments and farms.  

Lorin ‘Dennis’ Killian Sr.

Aug. 6, 1934 – Aug. 3, 2024

Lorin “Dennis” Killian Sr., the co-founder of the gourmet popcorn company Killian Korn, died on Aug. 3. He was 89.

Born in Idaho, Killian moved to the Tri-Cities shortly after his marriage in 1960. He opened a dairy farm with his father-in-law and brother-in-law. After later selling the dairy, he ran an insurance agency for a few years before developing Killian Korn gourmet popcorn with his wife Donna Roylance. 

Killian spent time serving in his church and enjoyed softball, fishing, woodworking and cooking for family gatherings. 

Floyd Ivey

Aug. 17, 1940 – Aug. 9, 2024 

Floyd Edwin Ivey Jr., a Tri-Cities attorney, died on Aug. 9. He was 83. 

Ivey was born in Raton, New Mexico, and worked as an electrical engineer in Las Vegas, Nevada, before moving to Spokane and starting law school in 1973.

In 1977, he and his wife moved to Kennewick, where he was an attorney. He practiced until 2021. Ivey was an active member and past president of the Pasco-Kennewick Rotary Club.  

Constance ‘Connie’ Wormington

Sept. 25, 1948 – Sept. 26, 2024

Connie Wormington, owner of Just Roses Flowers & More, died Sept. 26 after battling cancer for years. She was 76. 

Wormington was born in Norfolk, Nebraska, and spent 20 years traveling the country as an instructor for Beauty for All Seasons. She also spent over 32 years as a florist and the owner of Just Roses Flowers & More and Columbia Wholesale.

Wormington loved softball and she played competitively for six decades. She was a multi-champion World Senior softball gold medalist.  

C. Mark Smith

Nov. 9, 2024 

C. Mark Smith, a local author of Washington history books, died Nov. 9. He was 89, the Tri-City Herald reported. 

Smith spent 40 years as an economic development professional, including time as the economic development director for the city of Richland. He wrote several books about historic figures, including Tri-Citian Sam Volpentest.

Smith was a founding member of the Columbia Basin Badger Club, established in 2008, and served as the club’s vice president of programs for several terms.  

Jean H. Futrell

Oct. 20, 1933 – Nov. 13, 2024 

Jean H. Futrell, who was a prominent figure at Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, died Nov. 13. He was 91. 

Futrell was born in Dry Prong, Louisiana, and moved to Richland in 1998 to become the director of PNNL’s Environmental Molecular Sciences Laboratory. He retired in 2013. 

He was considered a founder of modern mass spectrometry and invented the tandem mass spectrometer. Futrell also served as president of the American Society of Mass Spectrometry, received numerous awards and was the fellow of several scientific societies.

Futrell is remembered as a good friend, inspiring colleague, supportive mentor and loving father.

James ‘Jim’ Stoffels

Feb. 18, 1938 – Dec. 11, 2024

James ‘Jim’ Stoffels, a former Richland city councilman and peace activist, died Dec. 11. He was 86.

Stoffels was born in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. He worked as a senior researcher for Atomic Energy Commission’s Hanford Laboratories, now the U.S. Department of Energy’s Pacific Northwest National Laboratory. He worked there in isotope mass spectrometry for 33 years. 

Stoffels held positions on the city council, co-founded the B Reactor Museum Association and served as a volunteer for multiple schools in the Tri-Cities. He also co-founded World Citizens for Peace in 1982 and led many activities for peace, including giving a group of peace activists from Japan a tour of Richland and Hanford.

He was also a music lover and a tinkerer who built customizations for his mass spectrometer, designed stereos and more.

Mary Pettyjohn

April 11, 1931 – Dec. 12, 2024

Mary Margaret Pettyjohn, a longtime licensed practical nurse at Kadlec Hospital, died Dec. 12. She was 93. 

Born in International Falls, Minnesota, Pettyjohn ended up working in the newborn nursery at both the new and old Kadlec hospitals. Later, she worked at the U.S. Post Office in Pasco.

Pettyjohn was also a stained-glass artist. Her works included lamp shades, Christmas ornaments and pictures. Pettyjohn was actively involved with Beaux Art and Allied Arts, and her pieces were featured in shops in Richland and Prosser. 

John W. Douglas

Feb. 3, 1939 – Dec. 13, 2024

John William Douglas, the founder of Douglas Fruit Company, died Dec. 13. He was 85. 

Douglas was passionate about farming. After graduating from the University of Washington with a bachelor’s degree in business, he bought farmland in 1980 and founded Douglas Fruit Company in 1983. He grew stone fruit, pears and apples, and was active in the industry for 60 years. 

Douglas also served on the soft fruit commission for more than 30 years. He also stayed active throughout his life, enjoying tennis, golf and fishing. He was known as a frugal and selfless person.