Ronald M. Fishback Pneumonia Victim
Respected Adna Farmer Dies Saturday After Brief Illness
Ronald M. Fishback of Adna, one of the best known young farmers in the Chehalis valley, and prominent as a breeder of purebred Jersey cattle, died Saturday afternoon at a local hospital, following a very brief illness of pneumonia. Mrs. Fishback was seriously ill at the same hospital, both having been originally taken sick with flu. Her condition was reported favorable yesterday. Mr. Fishback was born in Tacoma 33 years ago. He was a son of State Insurance Commissioner H. O. Fishback of Olympia and came with his parents to Adna 29 years ago, making his home there ever since. Besides his parents, he is survived by his widow, Mrs. Josephine Fishback, and three young sons, Ronald jr., aged 10; Robert, aged 8; and Malcolm, aged 3; three brothers, Thomas Fishback of Tono, Herbert of Olympia and George of Monetsano; and a sister, Mrs. Bess Butler of Waitsburg.
Mr. Fishback was highly respected, not only in the Adna neighborhood, but wherever he was known. Some years ago he took up the breeding of purebred Jersey cattle and at the time of his death the Fishback herd was rated as one of the best in southwest Washington. Ronald took great pride in his cattle and made many winnings with his wonderful herd at the Southwest Washington fair last August. He had learned the art of breeding along constructive lines and his untimely death is a great loss to the livestock industry of this section.
Mr. Fishback took an active interest in community affairs and was clerk of the school board at Adna, where the new $40,000 schoolhouse was recently dedicated. He had a considerable part in the success of this community achievement and in many other ways showed his splendid qualities of good citizenship.
Following the election of his father, H. O. Fishback, as insurance commissioner, Ronald moved with the family to Olympia, where he graduated at the high school in 1914. Later he attended the State College at Pullman, where he was prominent not only as a student but as a football player, being amember of the team from that school that defeated Brown university. Three of his State College fraternity brothers, members of Sigma Alpha Epsilon, were pallbearers at the funeral. These were C. C. Boone and Dr. Geo. W. Staggs of Chehalis and Floyd Ratchford of Vancouver. Other pallbearers were neighbors, C. D. Young, Reuben Raschke and Charles McCutcheon.
There was an unusually large attendance Monday afternoon at the funeral, which was held at the Fissel Funeral Home. There was a great profession of flowers and a long procession of friends followed the body to its last resting place at beautiful Claquato. Rev. John M. Paxton of the Presbyterian church officiated the funeral.
Source: The Chehalis Bee-Nugget, Friday, 4 Jan 1929, p. 5.
Transcribed by Jenny Tenlen, who is researching the Fishback/Olds family, and would be happy to share information.