My grandfather passed away last week and I was given the honor of writing his obituary. In doing so, learned a great deal about the story of his life and the story of my own. I learned that family roots are intertwined and run deep. What took shape from my conversations with the people who loved him was the story of an outdoorsman, forester, determined individual, and integral member of a family. This is my Eulogy for Jack Colley.
Born 1923 in Fruitland, Washington to Richard and Gertrude
Colley, Jack was raised on a small farm with his six siblings. His childhood was
spent hunting, fishing, helping around the farm and going on family huckleberry
picking trips in the mountains. He attended school and played football in
nearby Hunters, then headed off to work as a miner in Idaho for a year after
graduation. At the start of WWII, he
enlisted in the Navy, serving in the South Pacific for 4 years. After the war, he spent another 4 years in
service as a police officer in Bremerton, Washington. It was there he met Amy Heinrich, and they were
married in 1949. Always determined and full of life, Jack was in a nearly fatal
motorcycle crash on duty, the day after his son, Gary was born and fully recovered
to take on his role as a father. Ready
to start a new chapter in life, he moved his family to Pullman, Washington to attend Washington State University on the
GI Bill. He graduated with a degree in Forestry and went to work for Port
Blakely Tree Farms of Seattle. During this time, the family welcomed their daughter,
Gayle and made their home in several
small towns around western Washington where Jack worked for Port Blakely
over the course of 34 years. He retired as Chief Forester in 1988, finally settling on Bainbridge Island where he
lived out the rest of his life with Amy, enjoying beautiful views of Puget
Sound.
Colley, Jack was raised on a small farm with his six siblings. His childhood was
spent hunting, fishing, helping around the farm and going on family huckleberry
picking trips in the mountains. He attended school and played football in
nearby Hunters, then headed off to work as a miner in Idaho for a year after
graduation. At the start of WWII, he
enlisted in the Navy, serving in the South Pacific for 4 years. After the war, he spent another 4 years in
service as a police officer in Bremerton, Washington. It was there he met Amy Heinrich, and they were
married in 1949. Always determined and full of life, Jack was in a nearly fatal
motorcycle crash on duty, the day after his son, Gary was born and fully recovered
to take on his role as a father. Ready
to start a new chapter in life, he moved his family to Pullman, Washington to attend Washington State University on the
GI Bill. He graduated with a degree in Forestry and went to work for Port
Blakely Tree Farms of Seattle. During this time, the family welcomed their daughter,
Gayle and made their home in several
small towns around western Washington where Jack worked for Port Blakely
over the course of 34 years. He retired as Chief Forester in 1988, finally settling on Bainbridge Island where he
lived out the rest of his life with Amy, enjoying beautiful views of Puget
Sound.
Jack was an avid outdoorsman, spending his free time
hunting, fishing and always working on projects outside. He was thoroughly a family man, well loved by
all of his siblings, and always there to lend a helping hand. He enjoyed many family
vacations with his children over the years, and travels with Amy including the
Southwest, Alaska, Australia, Asia and Europe, and annual elk hunting trips to
Idaho with his son. He leaves behind him
an outdoorsman’s legacy, with descendants who value nature and advocate for
conservation.
hunting, fishing and always working on projects outside. He was thoroughly a family man, well loved by
all of his siblings, and always there to lend a helping hand. He enjoyed many family
vacations with his children over the years, and travels with Amy including the
Southwest, Alaska, Australia, Asia and Europe, and annual elk hunting trips to
Idaho with his son. He leaves behind him
an outdoorsman’s legacy, with descendants who value nature and advocate for
conservation.
Upon his request, there will be no formal memorial service.
Instead, hold Jack in your memories as you would an old growth tree; strong and long-lived, finally falling to
leave behind the legacy of a forest.
Instead, hold Jack in your memories as you would an old growth tree; strong and long-lived, finally falling to
leave behind the legacy of a forest.
This is simply beautiful! And that picture is amazing. What an amazing, powerful, stately tree!
Thank you. My grandfather was an amazing person, so I felt very fortunate to be asked to write a remembrance of his life.