Each year, Settlers’ Day celebrates the individuals and businesses that make significant contributions to Deer Park. This year’s honorees represent deep roots, quiet dedication, and a strong commitment to local service, with each story reflecting the city’s history and ongoing growth.

As part of this year’s Settlers’ Day celebration, Deer Park is recognizing Grand Marshals Leslie Stansbury and Danielle Prosser, Honored Settlers Rick and Sherry Tedrow, and Fred’s Automotive as the recipient of the Community Service Traveling Trophy. These honors recognize individuals and businesses whose long-term dedication, service, and connection to Deer Park have helped strengthen the community’s identity and sense of belonging. From organizing beloved events to supporting local families and providing essential services, this year’s honorees reflect the values that Settlers’ Day was created to celebrate.

Grand Marshals Leslie Stansbury and Danielle Prosser

Leslie Stansbury has been selected as Grand Marshal for this year’s Deer Park Settlers Day, honored for her decades of service to the community and for co-founding Pumpkin Lane. 

A resident of Deer Park for 35 years, Stansbury opened Grrs ‘n’ Purrs Grooming in 1991 and, with her husband Dan, whom she married in 2000, later launched Ruff ‘n’ It Dog Day Camp in 2006. In 2016, the couple expanded their operations with the construction of a modern grooming facility on South Avenue. Their businesses have been a consistent presence in the community for more than three decades.

Established 34 years ago with Sandra Coleman, Pumpkin Lane has become a key part of Deer Park’s fall celebrations. The daytime event offers safe trick-or-treating at local businesses, drawing families year after year. Many early participants now bring their children, keeping the tradition alive across generations. One of those individuals is Danielle Prosser, who has assisted Stansbury in organizing Pumpkin Lane for the past nine years. Stansbury will share Grand Marshal duties with Prosser, whom she describes as the next generation of “doers.”

Honored Settlers Rick and Sherry Tedrow

Rick and Sherry’s families have deep roots in the Deer Park and Clayton areas, spanning multiple generations. Rick’s family settled in Williams Valley in 1949 but returned to Deer Park in 1963 after financial struggles. His father worked at the Deer Park mill before passing away. Sherry’s maternal great-grandparents arrived in the early 1930s, fleeing the Dust Bowl to settle north of Deer Park, while her paternal ancestors were first-generation immigrants farming in Clayton and Idaho.

In the 1960s, Sherry’s parents established the Longmedo Guernsey farm on Dahl Road, breeding award-winning cattle that stayed in the family for generations.

Rick and Sherry met in 1963 at the Deer Park Fairgrounds. Both grew up in Deer Park schools, where Rick was an athlete and student leader, while Sherry was a cheerleader and Miss Deer Park 1969. After Rick joined the Air Force in 1970, the couple married in October of that year. Following his discharge, they settled in a log home Rick built in Williams Valley, where they raised three children, whom they named Josh, Arik, and Sarah. 

Rick retired as Postmaster of Mead and later worked in real estate in Deer Park. Sherry devoted 30 years to nursing, primarily in maternity care at Holy Family Hospital. Now retired near Eloika Lake, they enjoy gardening, birdwatching, and active roles at Grace Church, surrounded by their 13 grandchildren and six great-grandchildren, with another on the way.

Community Service Traveling Trophy Fred’s Automotive

Fred and Kathy Brown are being honored for their longstanding commitment to the Clayton & Deer Park community through their dedication to local business and exceptional service. After years of experience at John’s Automotive, the couple took the leap to open their own repair shop from their home, establishing a genuine mom-and-pop business that served the area for three years. In 2005, they expanded to a larger facility on Grant Road, growing their team to serve a broader customer base. Recently, they have returned to a smaller, family-run garage. With over 20 years of experience in the industry, Fred’s Automotive specializes in a broad range of services, including tune-ups, battery replacements, suspension work, and air conditioning repairs for all makes and models of vehicles. Fred, an ASE master technician, is dedicated to providing prompt, reliable, and affordable service. Known for their high-quality workmanship and excellent customer care, Fred and Kathy have built a strong reputation throughout Stevens and North Spokane counties.

To learn more about Settlers Weekend 2025, explore all its events happening Friday through Sunday, and download a printable schedule, see the Deer Park Gazette’s article: This Weekend, Bounce Around Deer Park For Settlers Fun DPGazette.com/mq822 

Sources:

• Tri-County Settlers Association. (2025). Deer Park Settlers Day. Deer Park, WA: Printed Flyer.