Donald T. ‘Spud’ Walley, 83, a longtime Sedro-Woolley resident, passed away on Wednesday, March 4, 2009 at Skagit Valley Hospital in Mount Vernon.

He was born on February 16, 1926 in Seattle, the son of Dominic & Agnes Walley. He was raised and attended school in Sedro-Woolley and would have graduated with the class of 1945 but during WW II was drafted into the U.S. Army Air Corp in 1944. He served two years as a tail gunner in B-17’s and B-29’s. While on leave after basic training he married his high school sweetheart, Betty Lisherness on January 31, 1945. They were married for 53 ½ years until her death in 1998. He was later married to Kathryn Greene for 5 years until her death in 2004 and he then married Earlene White.

In 1946 after his discharge from the service Spud attended the University of Washington and then attended and graduated from Western Washington College in Bellingham in 1953.

In the fall of 1953 he started teaching in the Sedro-Woolley School District, teaching 6th grade at Central School. He went to Cascade Middle School in 1956 where he coached three sports, football, wrestling and baseball. In 1969 he went to the high school where he took over the wrestling program. His teams won the league title 12 times, the regional title 10 years in a row and state championships in 1976, 1981 and 1983. He retired from teaching and coaching in 1984.

Spud was also very involved in city government. He served on the Sedro-Woolley City Council for 16 years, from 1960 to 1976. In 1976 he was elected Mayor, serving the city in that position for 20 years, from 1976 to 1992 and from 1997 to 2000.
During his term as mayor many projects were completed. The Community Center, Riverfront Park, the Senior Center, Janicki Fields and many others. He was dedicated to the Sedro-Woolley community and loved it dearly.

He was a member of the Washington Education Assoc., the National Education Assoc., the S-WHS Alumni Assoc., the Retired Teachers Assoc. and the American Legion.

He is survived by his wife, Earlene at the family home in Sedro-Woolley. His children and their spouses, Cyndi & Steve Geiger of Anacortes, Randy & Sandra Walley of Aubrey, Texas, Shane & Kim Walley of Burlington and Don, Jr. & Gretchen Walley of Shoreline. Nine grandchildren, Joshua, Nathan, Brent, Tonya, Tiffany, Josh, Melissa, , Ian and Tony and seven great-grandchildren, Madeline, Jordan, Kendall, Alexis, Jacob, Lucas and Isabella. Two half-sisters, Billie Hanna and Edna Neighbor; a half-brother, Jack MacLellan; a step-sister, Faye Spahn; two step-children, Linda Moorcroft and Donald White and his wife Becky; five step-grandchildren; three step-great-grandchildren and numerous extended family and friends.

He was preceded in death by his parents; his step-father, Tom McLellan, his wives, Betty Lou and Kathryn; a sister, Clara Rabello; a step-sister, Grace and three step-brothers, Jim, Guy and LeRoy MacLellan.

Memorials in Spud’s name are suggested to the Sedro-Woolley Alumni Assoc. or to St. Jude’s Children’s Research Hospital, 501 St. Jude Place, Memphis, TN 38105.

Funeral services with Military Honors will be held on Saturday, March 14, 2009 at 12:00 noon at the Sedro-Woolley High School Gymnasium with Pastor Wendy Tingley of Trinity United Presbyterian Church officiating. Interment will follow at the Sedro-Woolley Union Cemetery. Visitation is available at Lemley Chapel in Sedro-Woolley on Saturday from 9am to 5pm and from Monday, March 9th thru Friday March 13th from 9am to 5pm.

To view the webcast of the service click here.