George Glen Humphrey

Glen Humphrey of Goldendale, Washington, passed away at his vacation home in Waldport, Oregon, on July 1, 2016, at the age of 65. George Glen Humphrey was born on October 23, 1950, to Raymond and Doris Humphrey of Nashville, Oregon. He and his sister Diane and brother Vern grew up on their parents' farm, raising cows and sheep and cultivating hay. Glen attended school in Eddyville, Oregon, and during high school he played football, basketball, and baseball. In 1968, Glen attended his senior prom with his sweetheart, Mary Eagleson, who had helped him learn his lines for his role as Dr. Einstein in Eddyville High's production of Arsenic and Old Lace. Glen enjoyed racing motorcycles alongside his brother Vern, father Raymond, and mother Doris. Glen won a fair amount of racing trophies, but Doris probably acquired the most. After high school, Glen voluntarily joined the navy in 1969 and sailed all over the world, visiting Hong Kong, Singapore, Hawaii, Australia, and the Philippines, collecting coins, stamps, and audio equipment. While in the navy, Glen achieved the rank of Petty Officer Second Class, E5, and sailed on the U.S.S. King and U.S.S. Preble. Glen quickly demonstrated his aptitude for working with electricity and specialized as a Missile Fire Control Technician. His specialty took him through radar school, where he trained as a technician on a tracking, guidance, and telemetry radar for the Terrier surface-to-air missile. Among his medals, he was awarded a Seventh Fleet Commendation for exemplary service. While in the navy, Glen accepted Jesus Christ as his personal Lord and Savior, due to the witness of a shipmate. He was honorably discharged in 1974 so that he could help his father, who had suffered a non-fatal heart attack at the age of 48, and mother run their ranch in Centerville, Washington. Shortly after rejoining civilian life in Centerville, Glen got engaged to and then married his high school sweetheart, Mary. They were married on August 23, 1975, in Blodgett, Oregon. They set up house in Goldendale, Washington, where Glen had started to work for the Klickitat County PUD. He worked in Goldendale for 26 years and then went to work for the Hood River Electric Co-op in Odell, Oregon, for 3 years, and then for the North Wasco County PUD in The Dalles, Oregon, until his retirement in 2014. Glen and Mary raised four daughters in Goldendale. In 1978, Staci was born, joined two years later by Marisa. In 1984, Glen and Mary travelled to Bogota, Colombia, to adopt their third daughter, Patricia. Three years later, they adopted Jessica, who had been born in Guatemala. While raising his family, Glen was active in his local community and local church. As an ardent patriot, Glen loved Veterans' Day, Memorial Day, and Fourth of July celebrations, and wore his navy dress uniform on special patriotic occasions. At church, Glen was active in choir and involved with many youth activities, but was most famous for his particular genius at running audio/visual equipment. Glen and Mary and Jim and Jan Ogden formed a singing quartet and quickly became local celebrities, performing their own concerts at churches around the county, and singing for weddings, community events, church services, and funerals. At home, Glen enjoyed multiple hobbies, including watching football and basketball, dozing off during golf tournaments, and building furniture and clocks out of wood. But most of all, Glen loved coming home from work every evening to see his "babies," and the girls treasure fond memories of playing hide-and-seek with Daddy, flying high on the swings when he pushed them, sledding down the hill with him in winter, jumping in leaf piles with him in the autumn, and swimming in the pool with him in the summer. The family loved to travel and took road trips to visit grandparents or play at theme parks. In 2000, for their 25th wedding anniversary, Glen took Mary to England, where he bought her first tea set for her. In 1998, Glen and Mary became grandparents when Eli was born to their daughter Staci. Eli was joined in 2009 by a little brother, Jasper. Glen adored his grandsons and loved to play with them and teach them things. He was very proud of Eli's academic and personal achievements and accomplishments, and loved Jasper's playfulness, lively presence, and inquisitiveness. Glen was very active at the Community Grace Brethren Church in Goldendale, serving as Facilities Overseer, songleader, and sound technician. After his retiring from his PUD job in 2014, Glen also attended regular "safety meetings" in Goldendale with his chums Gary, Darrell, Dean, Dennis, Ray, and various and sundry other characters who spurred Glen on to excellence in fire safety, especially. Glen was a handyman, a woodworker, a house renovator, an audio/visual technician, and a Fixer of All Things Broken. He was a great conversationalist, possessed a kind and gentle spirit, and would selflessly help anyone with anything. He was devoted to his family and his Savior, a patient and generous man who was slow to anger and swift to forgive and to love. He was a loving husband, father, and brother and will be greatly missed. Glen is survived by his beloved wife Mary of Goldendale; his daughter Staci and grandsons Eli and Jasper of Portland, Oregon; his daughter Marisa of Kittitas, Washington; his daughter Patricia and son-in-law Stephen of New York, New York; his daughter Jessica of Goldendale; his sister Diane Hauge of Coburg, Oregon; his brother Vern and sister-in-law Sue Humphrey of Redmond, Oregon. Glen will be buried in the cemetery in Eddyville, Oregon.

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George Glen Humphrey

October 23, 1950 - July 1, 2016