Gary A. DeWitt, 75, a lifelong resident of Sedro-Woolley, passed away at his home, surrounded by his loving family, on Saturday, June 24, 2006.
He was born in Sedro-Woolley on December 8, 1930, the son of Chester & Frances Goodyear DeWitt, and the grandson of Frank & Clara Goodyear.
Gary was raised and attended school in Sedro-Woolley and as a young man worked at the family lumber mill, Goodyear Nelson, until leaving to serve his country in the U.S. Navy during the Korean Conflict, and was stationed on the USS Boxer.
After his discharge he returned to Sedro-Woolley where he was united in marriage to Jean Hendricks in 1955 and he again worked at the lumber mill as a log buyer and head sawyer for several years. He also worked as a tree faller in Alaska for a while and for several years at the Dunlap Towing Co. at the Port of Everett in the log yard until his retirement in 1995.
Gary was a sports enthusiast who enjoyed fishing and hunting and was also an active rancher, raising Black Angus cattle on the family farm, something he loved and had been doing for over 40 years.
He was a member of the American Angus Association and the Skagit Cattlemen’s Association, and the International Order of Foresters.
He is survived by his wife, Jean at the family home in Sedro-Woolley. 2 daughters, Julie Tingley and her husband Rick and Kristin Nelson, all of Sedro-Woolley. 5 grandchildren, Tiffany Boggs, Jason, Nikkie and Jillian Tingley and Shayna and Joey Nelson.
1 sister, Mollie Sackman Leroy of Burlington. 3 nieces, Melanie Liening Ralph of Tacoma, Candy Taylor Dave of Moses Lake and Stacey Dean Ron of Hamilton. 1 nephew, Steve DeWitt of Hamilton and his mother-in-law, Helen York and sister-in-law, Joan Parker of Sedro-Woolley.
He was preceded in death by his parents, Chester and Frances and a brother, Bill.
Memorials are suggested to the Bethlehem Lutheran Church in Sedro-Woolley.
Funeral services will be held on Wednesday, June 28, 2006 at 11:00 am at Lemley Chapel in Sedro-Woolley with Pastor Walt Rice of the Bethlehem Lutheran Church officiating. Interment will follow at Sedro-Woolley Union Cemetery. Visitation is available at and services under the direction of Lemley Chapel.