Our Story...

Coupeville Lions Club
68 Years of Service

The Community

Coupeville--Beautiful natural forests, prairies and shorelines create habitats attracting many species of wildlife. Penn Cove and Crockett's Lake are important feeding grounds for shorebirds and waterfowl. Deer are commonly seen in the Coupeville town limits. The crown jewels are majestic bald eagles, local residents who share fishing waters with otters and harbor seals.

Founded in 1852 by Captain Thomas Coupe, Coupeville is the second oldest town in the State of Washington. The town is justly proud of its finely preserved Victorian homes. Coupe's original home, built in 1853, is one of the State's oldest. Here too are historic blockhouses, the Island County Historical Museum, and Ebey's Landing National Historic Reserve established by Congress in 1980 as the first and one of the largest such reserves in the nation. It's 22 square miles encompass farmlands, Fort Ebey State Park, beaches, parks, trails and 91 nationally registered historic structures.

Chartered – 1938Sponsored by the Mt. Vernon Lions Club

Mickey Clark - Joe Libbey - Elmer Calhoun - Carl Dean – Chet Maxim

Charter Members

Fred Armstrong, Wallace L. Benson, Arthur E. Black, Elmer E. Calhoun, Michael E. Clark, Thomas C. Clark, Thomas W. Clark, Robert H. Cushen, Carl P. Dean, Martin J. Elzinga, Samuel Gelb, Frank Hauschildt, Mark E. Hingston, Henry G. Knowels, Joe W. Libbey, Howard I. Magladry, Irving H. Markuson, Hugh W. Maynard, Robert N. Miller, Easton L. Mudgett, Allen Nienhuis, Father J. E. O’Brien, Mike O’Leary, Gilbert S. Olsen, Shirley M. Parker, Moritz Pickard, Lawrence N. Sill, Hollis J. Stoddard, Ben H. Swedberg, Clarence M. Sweeney, Herman T. Wanamaker, Lem Wanamaker, Floyd A. Wanamaker, Luther Weedin

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The very first charter meeting was held February 9, 1938At the Odd Fellows Hall on Main Street

The first regular meetings were held in the Starwana Hotel (later called Blockhouse) and shortly moved to the Central Hotel on Front Street.

Early in 1943 meetings were moved to the Methodist Church, where the meetings are currently held.

2005 Membership consists of new members to those who have served over 60 years
In the 1940’s Spence Purvis & Dick Everett joined
In the 1950’s Orlan Dean & Spec Ellison joined
In the 1960’s Al Sherman & Roger Sherman joined
In the 1970’s Dick Eisenbrey, George Reed, Larry Thie, Bernie Hingston, Jack McClane & Dave Merrill joined
The rest of us joined from the 1980's on.

There are 13 Life Members in the Coupeville Lions Club
Rod Barnes, Freeman Boyer, Ken Brooks (transferred), Mickey Clark (deceased), Orlan Dean, Dick Eisenbrey, Spec Ellison, Dick Everett, Dave Merrill, Spence Purvis, Al Sherman, Roger Sherman & Joe Weber


Mickey Clark showing his Life Membership Certificate and Gold Member Card to Joe & Shirley Weber

There are 12 Melvin Jones Fellows in the Coupeville Lions Club.
Rod Barnes, Richard Brayton, Fred Denson (deceased), Bernie Hingston, Spec Ellison, Grace King-Barnes, Lyle Kosbab (transferred), Dave Merrill, Al Sherman, Roger Sherman, Don Sorensen (transferred) John Shelton (deceased) & Joe Weber

Winnie & John Shelton

To Coupeville Lions Story Page 2

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