Thurston Garvin DeLano, age 61, longtime resident passed away unexpectedly at home in Sedro-Woolley, Washington December 14, 2022. Garvin was born on June 27, 1961 in Renton, WA the son of Thurston “Bud” and Kerrie (Streeter) DeLano.
He grew up in Renton, moving to Sedro-Woolley in the 70’s and attended Sedro-Woolley Schools. He married Wendy McCarter in 1978 they had two children, Gary and Taryn and later they divorced.
Garvin became a roofer at the age of 14 and also did auto repair in his younger years, and enjoyed painting cars. In 2000, he started working for Pacific Tech Roofing where he made his lifelong career as a roofer and became a superintendent. If you worked for Garvin, you were not just a friend, you became part of his family, and he always had your back.
Garvin married Tami Miller in 2002 and their love for one another was undeniable. They loved taking road trips and having their time together. Tami’s love showed through with her caring ways of making him his favorite foods and being his caregiver and spoiling him. Garvin was a loving, but with a tough guy exterior, jokingly thinking of himself as the baddest guy in the valley. He had many nicknames that included The Vone, GAR, Hulkster and King of the castle. Many would confuse him with being Hulk Hogan and would often ask for his autograph, he just ate that up! Garvin’s “farm on the hill” brought him so much joy. He loved all his animals: chickens, dogs, cats, turkeys, and pigs named Hammy and Starvin. Otis Bodine was always his favorite dog they were inseparable and shared an unbreakable bond. Garvin was a family man who loved with his whole heart, and his grandchildren were his pride and joy. He loved having sleepovers and this meant lots of snacks, sugar and late night movies.
Garvin is survived by his loving wife, Tami; sons, Thurston Garrett ”Gary” (Liz) DeLano and Taylor (Haily) DeLano; daughters, Taryn (Chris) Staley and Tana Miller; brother, Dale (Jeannine) DeLano; mother, Kerrie (Bill) Mason; favorite aunt, Faye Engberg; in laws, Joe & Linda Miller, Ben Wilton; grandchildren, Tianna, Thurston “Gavin”, Kassidy Liam, Arizona, Zane, and Joey; many Cuzzies and special friend, Kenny Frizzell.
He was preceded in death by his dad, Thurston Garth “Bud” DeLano; favorite uncle, Lowell Engberg; grandparents, uncles and cousins.
A time of visitation will be available from 9:00 to 5:00 Monday and Tuesday. A Funeral Service will be held at 1:00, Wednesday, December 21 at Lemley Chapel, Sedro-Woolley, Pastor Ron Deegan presiding. The graveside Committal will follow at Union Cemetery. There will be a reception following at the Sedro-Woolley Eagles. Please share your memories of Garvin and sign the online guest register.
I met Garvin “The Vone “ in the summer of 1976 in Alamogordo New Mexico ,his father Bud was the foreman on a roofing crew my father and uncle worked for . He came down for the summer to work with his dad ,so my cousin Glenn , Garvin,and myself worked and played together that summer,we were 16 ,15,and 14 years old I believe. Unbeknownst to me this was my introduction to the DeLano family which led us to the Engberg family and my best friend Denny !! Wow life is really wild !! One story from that summer of many in those apartments with that swimming pool chasing girls and being boys was when Garvin and I went arrowhead hunting. I was told to look under the tumbleweeds where they could get hung up ,well I pulled one back and I’m face to face with a big old rattle snake, Garvin here’s me screaming and high stepping out of there !! We devise a plan which involves the jack from the car a lot of rocks and some luck,we didn’t get bit ,so we kill the thing and put it in the car and take it back to the apartments. Now I might have weighed 120 lbs dripping wet and the roofing crew was full of big bad dudes , tattooed weight lifting heavy drinking guys with names like Rooster and Shorty . They threw rocks at me from the roofs ,dunked me in mud puddles, and loved to depants me in the swimming pool . Garvin had reminded me Rooster was scared to death of snakes so the plan was made ! We take the snake to their door coil it up with its head pointed just right , ring the doorbell run up to the next floor and watch a grown man scream like you’ve never heard slam the door , we can’t stop laughing, the next thing you know a shotgun barrel is pointing out the door , we’re yelling it was dead and hoping we wouldn’t get killed ourselves!!! Fast forward he goes home we move to Sedro Woolley at the insistence of his dad and live with Jack and Doris for a bit until we got settled. I remember a song that would be sung there and maybe alcohol was involved that went something like “the DeLano family is the best family that ever came over from the old country and so on . This summer I was reminded of this when I finally went to the family’s property on big lake for momma Faye’s birthday and I ran into Garvin. We reminisced of old stories of Denny and Glenn andLowell , I mentioned to him it was my first visit , he became a little upset even scolded me a little “you are family “ . I’m glad I got to talk to him that day ,The Vone was one of a kind and won’t be soon forgotten. RIP my friend .
Wow what a “big” man Mr. Gar was and what I mean by big is he filled a room ,any room with his aura, his “Gar” one of a kind twinkle eyed smile his quirky giggle his infectious personality, he could talk to anyone he had a way about him that made a person feel like they were “home” if he couldn’t feed your belly he would feed your soul he was capable of carrying on the most entertaining and intelligent conversations.. he was captivating and engaging and wholesom and genuine, a true gentleman and man among men. I was lucky enough to witness the love affair between him and his wife my dear friend Tami they were the absolute picture of what soulmates were meant to be, the reason that Hallmark still makes 50 year anniversary cards and what vows truly mean when they are taken!! their love was one of a kind love that others should and were envious of and could only hope for! I was very fortunate to have been able to get to know him on the level I did and to call him a friend I feel that I’m a better person for knowing him. he was the poster “child” of what a man’s man should be and that other guys should aspire to be!! I truly Hope that he knows how he touched so many lives in such wonderful ways to put it in words his pond had millions of ripples from the “pebble” That was the Great Garvin “Gar” DeLano….Rest easy my friend I will see you again someday when we meet up in “Garvonia”😉….love you buddy!!
I’m so sorry, hugs, love and prayers to the whole family. I remember when we were little, Aunt Faye called him “thirsty starving “. Love you.