I am in need of some assistance with trying to locate the attorney who handled the affairs of Ralph HUSE who died January 31, 1996. He apparently died of a heart attack while attempting to open a frozen garage door. There were no local relatives. Having spoken to him several years ago, he indicated that he had quite a collection of photographs and I am trying to find out what happened to his belongings. Newspaper article stated that Curt Benson, Pierce County sheriff's spokesman identified him. His parents were Ervin and Amy HUSE and they are interred at Sumner Cemetery. Ervin was born in St. Louis Missouri and Amy was born in Canada. Any help appreciated. Thanks

Hi Laura: I am an attorney in Eugene, Or. I assume you have already checked the probate records at the Pierce County Courthouse in Tacoma. Next, try an ad in the Pierce County Bar Assn. News, assuming there is one, whatever the name. Then try an ad in the Wash. State Bar Bulletin, by whatever name. Or get atty friends to make inquiry. Every county bar is a club of sorts. There may not have been a probate. Check Deeds & Records at the courthouse to see if any property, real or personal, passed around the time of his death. An obit might reveal relatives. Check the death certificate. Who was the informant? There are lots of things to do. Think like a private investigator. Do a door to door canvas in his old neighborhood. Check the old Tacoma Directories, old as they may be, for insight into what he was doing back then. Jim Pearson [email protected]

Jim, A big thank you for all of your suggestions. Ralph did have several distant relatives in St. Louis, but they were not interested in going through any paper work for the few dollars involved when contacted at the time of Ralph's death. Their recollections are vague at best. Ralph's grandfather and mine were brothers, so the photographs, if any, would be my only interest. Am trying to contact the funeral home that handled the arrangements of Ralph's parents, but they were too busy to answer my inquiry so will try once again. There was no obituary, only a death notice. One article was written in the News Tribune about his death. Thanks again - you have added many avenues to explore. Laura James Pearson wrote: > Hi Laura: I am an attorney in Eugene, Or. I assume you have already checked > the probate records at the Pierce County Courthouse in Tacoma. Next, try an > ad in the Pierce County Bar Assn. News, assuming there is one, whatever the > name. Then try an ad in the Wash. State Bar Bulletin, by whatever name. Or > get atty friends to make inquiry. Every county bar is a club of sorts. There > may not have been a probate. Check Deeds & Records at the courthouse to see > if any property, real or personal, passed around the time of his death. An > obit might reveal relatives. Check the death certificate. Who was the > informant? There are lots of things to do. Think like a private > investigator. Do a door to door canvas in his old neighborhood. Check the > old Tacoma Directories, old as they may be, for insight into what he was > doing back then. > > Jim Pearson > [email protected]

----- Original Message ----- From: "Laura Edgar" <[email protected]> > I am in need of some assistance with trying to locate the attorney who > handled the affairs of Ralph HUSE who died January 31, 1996. In the online Recorded Documents Query for Pierce County, the residence of Ralph was sold/given/ to a Nils E. Linden by a warranty deed in Januayr 1997. The Grantor of the deed transfer was from the estate of Ralph Huse by Muriel M. Boland, Personal Representative. A cross reference of the address of Linden on Switchboard.com to the property records indicated the property was located at 11926 36th Street E. Puyallup (Milton). Switchboard indicated an "M.M. Boland on S. Hosmer Street, Tacoma, WA 253-537-5106. She did not appear in the Washington State Bar Association online listing. She may be a representative of Pierce County; however, this was the only Statutory Deed that she participated, so I'm 'assuming' she was a friend or had power of attorney for his affairs. I'd suggest calling her. Ron Bestrom