He loved his family. He was an integral part of my family from the time we started to date in 1966. We spent many special times together with my parents,my brother Jim and his family over the years at our family gatherings in Seattle, New York and Chicago. One by one, his parents and 4 brothers passed away and he missed them dearly. He enjoyed seeing his many nieces and nephews in Dayton, Ohio.

He was a hopeless romantic. We encouraged and supported each other in all of our adventures. During the pandemic we went on a Sunday date for burgers where we ate them in the car and listened to the comedy channel. We enjoyed it so much we continued to do that after the pandemic. He had a quick wit and saw humor in everything. He was one person who could make me laugh, and it was his mission to do that everyday.

He loved being a dad.  He was a triathlete in his younger days and took the kids with him swimming, running and biking. He was a “stay home dad” before it was a thing, when they were babies and he worked nights. He retired from the airfreight industry at 40 and was a stay home dad again while he was on  call 24 hours a day for Karen and the school. He had the luxury of time with his children. He played in Zach’s high school band until they found a proper base player. He helped them record an album and enjoyed being around the younger musicians.  He loved the outdoors so they went backpacking together all over Washington. He taught them many practical skills like how  to cook. They learned to fix things and  use tools.He taught them to drive and they learned to take care of their cars.  They learned to work hard and be patient. Brendon shared his love of movies and they would quote movie lines, especially from Mel Brooks’ Blazing Saddle. Sarah was much like her dad. They danced to Time Warp as the father daughter dance at her wedding.

He loved being a grandpa and shared his many interests with his 8 grandchildren. Grandpa Days were days when he had one of the grands, and they could do whatever they wanted, from going on the ferris wheel to just cuddling on the couch and watching movies. He loved drawing and coloring with them, playing chess and board games, fishing at Lake Tyee, playing music, building things and messing around with a variety of motor vehicles and scooters.