Travis Burrough

Travis V. Burrough, 87, longtime Kittitas Valley resident, passed away at Cottage in the Meadow Hospice in Yakima on Friday, December 7, 2018. Private family service was conducted.

Travis was born on April 19, 1931 in New Edinburg, Arkansas to Alfred & Irie (Trammell) Burrough. His family moved to Ellensburg in 1943 and he attended Morgan Junior High School. In 1947, Travis joined the United States Marine Corps, serving in the 1st Marine Infantry Division. He earned the rank Sergeant, Rifle Marksman, serving in the South Pacific Area and China in 1947-1949, and then the Korean Campaign from 1950 until 1951. He was honorably discharged in May of 1951. Returning to Ellensburg, he began working construction, becoming a union member of the Labors Local.

He met Dolores Pless of Thorp and they began dating. They married October 25, 1952. They celebrated their 66th anniversary this year. Travis worked construction all around the area, as a hod carrier. He worked on many projects during his career, including the Wanapum Dam, construction of Nicholson Pavilion, the Brooks Library, the Physical Plant at CWSC (now CWU), Mt. Stuart Elementary, the then new "senior wing" at Ellensburg High School and also worked on the installation of the Bonneville Power Line. Due to back problems, he changed to a different type of employment in 1979, when he began working for the Ellensburg School District as a custodian and groundskeeper. In 1981 he began working at Central Washington University. He began on the paint crew, eventually becoming a Maintenance Mechanic 2. He retired due to heart problems in the early 1990s. After his retirement, he spent a lot of time enjoying his home, which the family moved to in May 1974 and made plenty of improvements since.

Travis is survived by his wife, Dolores, at the family home; children Kathleen Granger of Yakima, Gene Burrough of Ellensburg and Julianne (Jimmy) Martin of Ellensburg; six grandchildren Cristina Gonzales of Seattle, Nicolas Gonzales (Sarah Oliason) of Ellensburg, Elisabeth Rose Gonzales of Seattle, James Travis Taasevigen and Jesse D. Taasevigen of Ellensburg and Michelle J. Taasevigen of Goldbar. In addition, he is also survived by his sisters Lindell (Frank) Smith of Kennewick, Elwanda Engel and Sue Taylor, both of Apache Junction, Arizona. He was preceded in death by his parents, twin brothers who died at birth and brothers James D. Burrough and Alfred G. Burrough. Memorial contributions in Travis's honor are suggested to the Wounded Warrior Project, PO Box 758517, Topeka, Kansas 66675 or online at www.woundedwarriorproject.org Steward & Williams Funeral Home and Crematory of Ellensburg has been entrusted with caring for the family. Online condolences may be left at www.steward-williams.com