OSO, Wash. — On March 22, 2014, the deadliest landslide in U.S. history wiped out a small neighborhood in Oso, Washington.
Forty-three people were killed in the slide. The oldest was 91, the youngest just 4 months old.
The search for and identification of all those killed took more than four months, due to the size and destructiveness of the landslide.
These are their stories.
Alan Bejvl, 21, and fiancée Delaney Webb, 19
Alan Bejvl died along with his fiancée, Delaney Webb. The pair was at the home of Delaney's grandparents, the Satterlees, who also died in the slide.
The couple was planning their Aug. 16 wedding, which was going to be held on the Satterlees' property and already had sent out save-the-date announcements, according to the Everett Herald.
In his obituary, Alan is remembered for his "wonderful smile, his amazing sense of humor, and his love of life." He was a skier and enjoyed hiking, biking and quad riding.
"Alan once said his gift was 'the ability to cheer people up' and anyone who knew him would agree. He never let life get him down and would find laughter no matter what each day brought."
Delaney was studying business at Everett Community College and planned to someday open a dog-breeding and training company, according to the Seattle Times.
Shelley Bellomo, 55, and Jerry Logan, 63
Born in San Francisco, Shelley Bellomo lived in several states throughout her life before moving to her home by the Stillaguamish River in Oso with her longtime partner, Jerry Logan, according to her obituary.
Shelley is remembered as a "loving and caring person and spoke many times of her love for the neighbors in her community."
Jerry Logan was a long-time resident of Oso.
Jerry was "an all around handyman with his work" and his willingness to help was "known by all," according to his obituary.
After graduating from Ballard High School, he was drafted into the Army.
"Jerry loved to work with his hands, whether it be repairs on homes, cars or in his yard while watching the eagles fly over the river," his obituary reads.
He was survived by his mother, two brothers, sister and five nieces.
Ronald Paul DeQuilettes, 52
Ronald Paul DeQuilettes of Bothell was born in Onstwedde, Netherlands, before his family immigrated to the United States, according to his obituary.
He met his wife, LaRae Vigoren, while attending Seattle Bible College and became a journeyman electrician. He traveled the world to be a part of livelihood projects.
Ron also did blacktop work, according to the Seattle Times, and was at Larry and Sandra Miller's new home the morning of the slide to give them an estimate for a paved driveway.
He was survived by his wife and their four children.
Thomas Durnell, 65
Thomas Durnell was born in 1948 in Eugene, Oregon. He graduated from South Eugene High School and attended Lane Community College, according to his obituary.
He worked constructing sets for the Oregon Shakespeare Festival, toured as a stage manager and worked for theaters in Minneapolis and Seattle.
Thomas eventually went on to own a cabinet/display business and was a member of Central Puget Sound Carpenters Local 30 for nearly 20 years.
He retired in 2010 and married Debbie Nelson. They moved to a house on Steelhead Drive. Debbie was not home at the time of the landslide.
He was also survived by his stepdaughters, stepsons, his brother and seven grandchildren.
Julie Farnes, 59, and Adam Farnes, 23
Julie and her husband Jerry had moved to Steelhead Drive from Cordova, Alaska a year before the slide and had been joined by one of their three sons, Adam.
The couple, who moved after they retired, planned to become snowbirds, according to the Seattle Times, spending most of the year in Washington but returning to their cabin in Prince William Sound in the summer.
Julie, who had worked as a UPS contractor in their small Alaskan village, was also known for weaving blankets for newborns in the community.
Adam worked at Mountain Lion Glass and enjoyed hiking and hunting. A friend told the Everett Herald that Adam "always made you feel good" and would "do anything for anybody."
He was airlifted following the slide to Harborview Medical Center, where he died that night, but was initially misidentified and his death was confirmed a week after the slide.
Jerry was not home when the slide occurred.
Bonnie Jean Gullikson, 91
Born in 1922 in Hood River, Oregon, Bonnie Jean Gullikson was an avid fisherman, known to quickly reach her catch limit in her favorite fishing grounds out of Sekiu, Washington, according to her obituary.
Bonnie also enjoyed bowling and knitting – many family members received fishermen-knit sweaters from her.
Her husband Larry was critically injured in the slide but survived. He died four years later, in 2018, according to his obituary, and his family encouraged donations for the Oso Fire Department in his memory.
The couple had been married for 55 years.
Bonnie was also survived by her son Row, daughter Bobbi, 11 grandchildren, 24 great-grandchildren and 23 great-great-grandchildren.
Mark Gustafson, 55
Mark Gustafson worked as a framer in the construction industry and was an avid fly fisherman and "loyal outdoorsman," according to his obituary.
"Mark always found joy in the simple things in life and had built loyal long-lasting relationships with several friends to include his dog Lefty," his obituary reads.
He had moved to Oso from Belt, Montana several years earlier, according to the Seattle Times.
Mark was survived by three sons, a daughter, eight grandchildren and several brothers, sisters, nieces and nephews.
Steve Neil Hadaway, 53
Born in Frankfurt, Germany, Steven Hadaway graduated from Mount Tahoma High School in Tacoma and served in the U.S. Marine Corps as a lance corporal, according to his obituary.
Steve went on to earn a master's degree from Walden University in 2011. At the time of the slide, he was working for Dish Network and was scheduled to be at Amanda Lennick's house setting up service that morning.
"Steven enjoyed spending time with family and friends around the fire pit. He also liked shooting and cutting wood," his obituary reads.
Steve was survived by his wife, father, daughters, brothers and a sister.
Jerry Halstead, 75, and Gloria Halstead, 67
Jerry and Gloria Halstead worked their entire careers at Boeing and had been married for 32 years.
They loved the outdoors, their riverside home and traveling in their RV, according to the Everett Herald. After retirement, they took the RV to Alabama to visit Gloria's daughter.
Gloria was survived by her daughter and son, while Jerry was survived by four sons and a daughter. Between them, they had a dozen grandchildren at the time of their deaths.
Denver Harris, 14
Denver Harris was home alone at the time of the landslide.
Denver enjoyed hiking, according to a story from The Seattle Times. Friends and family remembered when his mother fell in water during a hike and he gave her his shirt for the two miles back to the car.
Steve Harris, 52, and Theresa Harris, 53
Born in 1961 in Denver, Colorado, Steve Harris earned a degree from Texas A&M University and was a marine engineer.
"He was driven, motivated and determined to the get the impossible done," according to his obituary.
Steve's passion was the ocean and fishing and "he spent the last few years building his dream house in Oso."
Born in 1961 in Corpus Christi, Texas, Theresa Harris was a registered nurse and had "an open spirit and was loving by nature," according to her obituary.
She started a website, "Listen to Love," and spent time writing poetry.
The couple was survived by two daughters.
Christina Jefferds, 45, and Sanoah Huestis, 4 months old
Christina Jefferds was watching her 4-month-old granddaughter, Sanoah Huestis, the morning of the slide. Both were killed.
Christina was born in 1968 and was an Arlington resident her entire life, according to her obituary.
She met her husband, Seth, through a mutual friend and they married in 2007. The two enjoyed the outdoors, including skydiving, traveling, gardening and volunteering at the Oso Fire Department.
"Christina’s beautiful smile and joyful spirit will be missed by everyone who knew her," her obituary reads.
Sanoah Huestis was born Oct. 31, 2013 and was less than a year old when she was killed in the landslide.
"Sanoah brought joy through her endless smiles. She had just learned to roll over; we were so excited," her obituary reads.
Christina was survived by her husband and daughter Natasha Huestis, who was Sanoah's mother, as well as her parents, two brothers, three sisters and much extended family.
Amanda Lennick, 31
Born in Tri-Cities in 1983, Amanda Lennick earned a Bachelor's in Nursing from Washington State University Tri-Cities in 2006, according to her obituary.
While attending school, she traveled with other students to New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina as well as Belize on a medical missionary trip.
"Amanda was a strong, independent woman with a heart of gold," her obituary reads.
She worked at Providence Medical Center in Everett at the time of her death.
Amanda found her "little piece of Montana" at the riverfront property in Oso she had purchased earlier the same month as the slide.
Joseph Miller, 47
Joseph Miller served in the military as a medic.
According to his obituary, his passions were fly fishing, competitive running and photography.
"He was a very kind, thoughtful and loving son," his obituary reads.
Joseph was survived by his father, mother and sister.
Sandra Miller, 64, and Larry Miller, 58
Larry and Sandra Miller of Everett were in the final stages of building their retirement home in Oso when the landslide hit.
The two operated a roofing company, Seattle Roof Advisor, Inc. Larry was the broker and Sandra was the bookkeeper, according to their obituary.
Larry was also the leader in a men's ministry and the couple were active in the marriage ministry.
"They were also active in the community and were always willing to lend a hand or help someone in need," their obituary reads.
Larry was survived by his father, stepmother, mother, siblings, daughter and stepchildren.
Sandra was survived by her mother and her sisters.
Linda McPherson, 69
Linda McPherson graduated from Darrington High School and was the town librarian for 28 years until she retired three years before the landslide. She helped Sno-Isle Libraries design a new branch library for Darrington and insisted on a big window with a view of Whitehorse Mountain, the Seattle Times said.
"She meant a lot more than I thought, you know. It's nice to see what a small town community can pull together and help each other out through these tough times," said McPherson's nephew, Mark Fusetti, at the time.
Linda grew up on an Oso dairy farm and attended the University of Washington, according to the Seattle Times, where she majored in oceanography.
She and her husband Gary were home when the slide hit. Gary survived but was injured.
The couple had two adult children.
Stephen Neal, 55
Stephen Neal was one of the landslide victims who did not live on Steelhead Drive.
The Darrington man worked as a plumber and was there to install a hot water heater with Bill Welsh for Amanda Lennick, according to KING 5's previous reporting.
"He was always there for me. He was always there for everyone," his daughter, Caroline, said at the time. "He was a wonderful grandfather."
He left behind a wife, three kids, and six grandchildren.
Michael Pearson, 74
Born in 1939, Michael Pearson served in the United States Marine Corps during the Vietnam conflict.
He returned and served as a police officer in Everett until he retired in 1988, according to his obituary.
Michael settled in Oso in 1997 because he enjoyed the outdoors, especially hunting and fishing.
He was survived by his daughters and grandchildren.
Summer Raffo, 36
Summer Raffo was driving her vehicle to work at the time of the landslide.
Born in Seattle, she was one of 13 children, according to her obituary.
Summer found a passion for horses; she raised and owned dozens of horses with her mother. She also enjoyed riding dirt bikes, watching Supercross and Seahawks football.
She spent the last 25 years of her life in Darrington and worked at Summit Timber and Hampton Lumber.
"Summer was known by her dedication, unique sense of humor, her patented laugh and ability to make things happen. She was an absolute joy to be around and her infectious smile left a lasting impression on everyone," her obituary reads.
She was survived by her husband, mother, father, brothers and sisters and numerous extended family members.
John Regelbrugge, 49, and Kris Regelbrugge, 44
The Regelbrugges had been married for 17 years and were described as an affectionate couple who adored each other, according to the Seattle Times.
John was a 32-year U.S. Navy veteran who had risen to the rank of commander in 2012, NBC reported.
John and Kris were supposed to leave their home Saturday morning but decided to sleep in.
Kris was a stay-at-home mom with a "great heart," according to John's brother, Joe.
She was also the last victim found and was identified four months after the slide. John was found by family members, NBC said.
The Ruthven family
Shane, 41; Katie, 34; Hunter, 6; and Wyatt Ruthven, 4, were all killed in the landslide.
Shane was born in 1970 in Spokane. He graduated from Mead High School in 1988 and served in the U.S. Navy until 1992, according to the family's obituary.
After the Navy, he worked in the glass industry in Minnesota and then moved back to Spokane to start Cougar Glass and then Glass Doctor.
Shane met Katie in 2006 and they started Mountain Lion Glass.
Katie was born in 1979 in Chicago. Her family moved to Washington state in 1981 and she graduated from Jackson High School in 1997 before attending and graduating from the University of Washington.
She worked at a law office as a paralegal until she met Shane.
Shane and Katie married in 2007 and purchased their home in Oso.
Their first son, Hunter, was born in 2007 in Everett. He attended Kent Prairie Elementary in Arlington. He played football, which Shane coached. According to the family's obituary, he loved football, riding quads and playing with his friends.
Wyatt was born in 2009 in Everett. He attended Northwest Children's School in Arlington.
"Wyatt enjoyed anything outside, whether it was riding quads or simply playing with his friends. He was known, not only for being a very happy little boy, but also for having the biggest blue eyes and dimples," according to the family's obituary.
Thom Satterlee, 65, and Mary "Marcy" Satterlee, 61
Thom and Marcy Satterlee bought a home in Oso in 2012, according to The Seattle Times.
Marcy was a gardener who worked on her vegetable garden and grew dahlias. Her sister said she was getting ready to "can and sauce the summer away."
Thom, who grew up in Seattle, served in the Marine Corps during the Vietnam War, where he was injured. As a leader of the "Freedom Country" movement, he wanted to secede from Snohomish County in the 1990s — an effort denied by the state Supreme Court. He was at his happiest when he was making Marcy happy, his sister said.
Lon Slauson, 60
Lon Slauson lived along the Stillaguamish River and had appeared in the Seattle Times after a landslide in 2006 diverted the river through his yard, the paper wrote after the Oso landslide. He praised the Army Corps of Engineers for saving his home by changing the river's course.
Lon worked as a security guard at the Medallion Hotel in Arlington and owned several properties in the neighborhood, which his parents had purchased more than 30 years earlier.
Billy Spillers, 30; Kaylee Spillers, 5; Brooke Spillers, 2; and Jovon "Jojo" Mangual, 13
Billy Spillers was from New Albany, Pennsylvania and was serving in the U.S. Navy when he was transferred to the naval shipyard in Everett in November 2013. He was a chief petty officer working as a career counselor.
Billy was at home with his daughters Kaylee and Brooke, son Jacob, and stepson Jovon Mangual when the landslide hit. Jacob was rescued by a helicopter.
Jovon's father, Army Staff Sgt. Jose Mangual, described his son as a very happy seventh-grader with a love for playing sports, the Seattle Times said. Kaylee was looking forward to joining the Girl Scouts.
Billy's wife, Jonielle Spillers, was reportedly working at the time of the slide.
The Spillers had moved to the neighborhood from Seattle two years earlier, NBC reported.
JuDee Vandenburg, 64, and Lewis "Lou" Vandenburg, 71
JuDee Sue Vandenburg and Lewis "Lou" Vandenburg had recently moved to Steelhead Drive.
JuDee was born in Spokane and spent her life working in retail. She enjoyed working as a florist the most, according to her obituary. She was an avid gardener, loved animals and was committed to family.
She "always put others' needs before her own."
Lou was born in Nevada and went directly into the Marines after graduating from Rogers High School, during which he served a tour in Vietnam, according to his obituary.
When he finished his time in the Marines, he worked as a welder before working as a corrections officer at Airway Heights Corrections Center for 15 years. He retired in 2011.
Lou was involved in the NRA and VFW.
JuDee and Lou married in 1978. They lived in Spokane for 33 years and retired in Arlington. They had just celebrated their 36th anniversary.
Brandy Ward, 58
Brandy Ward was born in 1955 in Louisville, Kentucky. She was raised in Miami, Florida, as the oldest of three children, according to her obituary.
She graduated with an Associate of Science degree and started a career as a nursing medical technician.
Brandy married Tim Ward in 1977 and they had two daughters.
"She will be remembered for being a caring and compassionate woman who loved all creatures," her obituary reads.
She was survived by her father, husband, daughters and two grandchildren.
Bill Welsh, 66
Born in Skagit County in 1947, Bill Welsh spent his entire life in the area, except for during his service in the U.S. Army from 1966 to 1969. Welsh was a generous person with a big heart who would "give you the shirt off his back," according to his obituary.
He worked in the timber industry and was an electrical supervisor. He and Steven Neal were installing a water heater for Amanda Lennick the morning of the landslide.
The medical examiner confirmed Bill's death five days after the slide. He was survived by his wife of 43 years, two sons and numerous other family members.
Follow coverage of the Oso landslide 10 years later throughout the week of March 18-22 and tune in to a 30-minute special on KING 5 and KING 5+ on March 22 at 7 p.m.