William Harold Trueman passed away peacefully on Thursday, July 25, 2013. The first of three children born to William and Mary (Albertine) Trueman, he was born in Lyman, WA on August 1, 1925.   Harold attended Lyman Grade School and graduated from Sedro-Woolley High School.  He married Lavone Stone in 1949, moving to the old Pete Trueman farm near Lyman where they raised their three children, Marcia, Chuck, and Mary, and where he resided until shortly before his death.  In 1986 he married Dolores Nesje and welcomed her family into his life. 

Harold was raised in the grips of the Great Depression and the challenges brought about by the death of his father when he was 11 years old.  Due to a strong-willed mother and supportive family and community, he and his brothers grew strong; developing a powerful sense of family connection and life-long work ethic along the way.  Harold made excellent grades in school while all the time working at whatever jobs were available, such as hiking in the early morning darkness to clean the Lyman water system intake screens (is that a cougar I feel watching me?), harnessing the neighbor’s work horses (oh, that hurt when they stepped on my foot).  His grandmother Albertine in particular took great pride when he graduated from high school and was hired as an apprentice draftsman for Skagit Steel in Sedro-Woolley (first in the family to get off the farm and out of the woods into a town job), and was disappointed when he left it for a job in the mills.  But, Harold was successful and proud of his career in the sawmills; working for Dewey Smith when the mills were often located on logging sites in the mountains surrounding Skagit Valley, scaling logs for Northwest Hardwoods in Arlington, and running the log yard until his retirement in 1991 (after the mill was taken over by Weyerhaeuser).  In addition to his day-job, Harold ran the family farm in Lyman, raising beef cattle, harvesting hay, and cultivating gardens.   

Harold loved his family, outdoor activities, trips to the casino, entertaining his grandchildren, having a good cup of tea with family and friends, and most of all, working around his farm and managing his cows.  He also enjoyed letting his grandchildren fight over who was his favorite.  Harold was a good man and the greatest grandfather to his many grandkids.  He will be greatly missed.

He is survived by his brothers, Dick (Marie) Trueman of Big Lake and James (Pat) Trueman of Sedro-Woolley; his children, Marcia (Gregg) Rogers, Chuck (Norma) Trueman and Mary (Sandy) Carter, all of Lyman; his grandchildren, Chantelle (Eli) Hilsinger and Laura (Tom) Fields of Bellingham, Rachelle Russell and Bill (Rachel) Trueman of Sedro-Woolley, Greg (Rania) Carter and Kelly (Courtney) Carter of Edmonds, and Steve (Dawn) Rogers of Lyman; 10 great grandchildren; 5 nieces and nephews; and many cousins.

Harold enjoyed being a father figure and loving grandfather to Dolores’ family.  In addition to Dolores, he is survived by her children,  Keith, Kim, and Kenny (Cam) Nesje and Penny Newell; grandchildren, Allison Glantz, Brandon (Becky) Henning, Eben (Melissa) Nesje, Shane (Billie) Henning, Elizbeth (Erik) Maddy, Anthony (Jennifer) Nesje, Harmony (Matt) Barrsness, Twila (Tom) Callaghan, Ty and Tanner Nesje; and 13 great grandchildren.

He is preceded in death by his parents; his step-father, Cecil McDougle; his step-brother, Ward McDougle; and his nephew, Larry Trueman.

Special thanks to Country Care Adult Family Home, Hospice and Visiting Angels.

A celebration of Harold’s life will be held at North Cascade Christian Fellowship in Sedro-Woolley, 118 N. Ball Street, on Saturday, August 3 at 2:00 PM.  A time of visitation will be available from 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM, on Wed., July 31 and Thurs., August 1, at Lemley Chapel.