Leslie Martin Kane

Leslie Martin Kane of Cashmere, aged 94 years, passed peacefully at his home with much of his family present February 5, 2011. He is survived by his wife of seventy years, Sabina and their eight children. He was a dedicated community member and parishioner of St. Francis Xavier Parish in Cashmere for over 50 years. He was born in Colville on May, 23 of 1916 to James L. and Grace V. (Hubbard) Kane. His father was a lumberman who moved Les, along with his three brothers and two sisters, to Wenatchee in 1925 with the intention of establishing a lumber operation on the Columbia River. The Great Depression and the construction of Grand Coulee Dam brought an end to lumber transport on the Columbia, and the family settled in Wenatchee. Les graduated a year early from Wenatchee High School in 1934, having been advanced one year during grammar school. Following graduation into the depression economy of the 1930s, he worked in the WPA as well as working in a box factory. Through his sister Virginia, Les met and courted Sabina who was Virginia’s classmate at St Anthony’s Hospital School of Nursing. When the opportunity presented itself, Les applied and was accepted as an apprentice shipfitter at the Bremerton Navy Shipyard in 1940. Immediately thereafter, Les and Sabina were married at her home parish of St. Genevieve in Twisp. Following the end of World War II, the family which by then included daughter and son, returned to Wenatchee where Les entered into the construction business with his two older brothers. Ultimately, the three brothers formed Kane Brother’s Concrete Company which successfully operated in Wenatchee and throughout Central Washington for some 30 years. In 1951, the family that now included six children moved to Cashmere where Les managed the branch of Kane Brother’s that served the upper Wenatchee River Valley. Among their early projects were the abutments for the Division Street bridge over the Wenatchee River. The Cashmere branch operated successfully until the company was sold and Les went into retirement around 1980. Les dedicated his retirement years to family, church and volunteer activities throughout the community. These activities included numerous trips to visit his growing family as well as serving as a pillar of St. Francis Xavier Parish. He served many years as liturgy lector and as Extraordinary Minister of the Eucharist. Surviving children in order of birth are daughter Patricia Ellen of Vashon Island, son Allan Leslie of Gig Harbor, son Terrence Michael of Cashmere, daughter Kathryn Virginia of Stockton California, daughter Sabina Mary of Everett, son Robert Martin of Chula Vista California, son James Lewis of Cashmere, and daughter Grace Irene of Bothell. In addition, he is survived by numerous grandchildren and great-grandchildren. Viewing will be 3:00 to 5:00 p.m. with the Rosary following at 6:00 p.m. on Wednesday February 9, 2011 at Jones & Jones ~ Betts Memorial Chapel. A Memorial Mass will be held at 11:00 a.m. Thursday February 10, 2011 at St. Francis Xavier Catholic Church in Cashmere. Please express your thoughts and memories on the online guest book at jonesjonesbetts.com. Jones & Jones ~ Betts Funeral Home have been entrusted with the arrangements.

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Leslie Martin Kane

May 23, 1916 - February 5, 2011