04/05/2008: "Emelia Louise Bave"

September 17, 1910 - March 10, 2008
Emelia Louise Wurzbach was born in Salt Lake City, UT. September 17, 1910 to German immigrant parents, Gustave and Karoline Wurzbach.

She was the fourth of five children, three girls and two boys. The family moved to Wilshire in Los Angeles, CA. when Emelia was 17. Emelia and her sisters were musically talented and formed a trio making up their own three-part harmony. They sang together in church and road shows in the LA area. Emelia worked at the well known and upscale J.W Robinson department store for years and also did some modeling.

Emelia enlisted in the Coast Guard in 1943. While stationed in Portland, Emelia met Milton Bave. They were married in 1945 and were then stationed together as radio dispatchers at Neah Bay, WA. After being released in 1946, Emelia’s husband got together with some of his Coast Guard buddies and started the company called Tektronics in Portland.

Emelia worked on their assembly line putting together some of the first technical Equipment made by Tektronics.

Looking for a different lifestyle, the Baves found San Juan Island and bought Mar Vista Resort in 1957, they moved here in 1958 with their two children.

Emelia and Milt loved the island and the people. It was here she started using the nickname, "Lee." She was a believer in people finding and using their talents so she started a corporation called Madd- Music, Art, Drama, and Dance to bring art, entertainment, and instruction in the arts to the people on the island. She and Milt purchased the movie theater in 1960, restoring it, and thereby bringing years of wholesome entertainment to the island.

In 1959 Lee was asked to write a play about the Pig War to commemorate the 100 year anniversary of this event in which she used local talent. Wanting to carry on the show, Lee and Milt purchased the old Odd Fellows Hall to keep the Pig War show going and preserve the building. Lee renamed it The Island Gallery. For years she put on her one woman show called, "The Saga of San Juan."
When Milt died, she made available her beloved building to the Whale Museum. She then built a building for a stationary Pig War exhibit on the corner of Guard and Tucker.

Lee and Milt were active members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day-Saints, and made sure there was always a place to worship for members on all the islands. Their marriage was solemnized in the Salt Lake Temple.
Lee was an active contributor to the community. She always had a float in the parade, frequently picked trash up along the roadside, and regularly expressed her views in the "Letters to the Editor" in the local papers.
Emelia will be remembered as a colorful, talented, energetic, and creative woman. She was a writer, an artist, and loved to "ham it up." She had a great sense of humor, and loved to tease and be teased. She was quite feisty at times, but always had good intentions.

Lee was preceded in death by her parents, her two brothers and two sisters, her husband Milton Bave, and a son, Brent.

Lee is survived by two children, Peter (Robyn) Bave of Salt Lake City, Utah and Marsha (Lewis) Fuller of St. George, Utah and by four granddaughters and four great-grandchildren.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Ettie Lee Home. This is a non-profit home for troubled youth started in 1950 by Ettie Lee, whom Emelia knew. The address is 5146 N. Main, Baldwin Park, CA. 91706.