Rex Eugene Fay

1926 - 2022

Rex E. Fay October 1, 1926 - October 13, 2022 Rex Eugene Fay, age 96, passed at home on October 13, 2022. A lifelong resident of Easton since early youth, he was the town's oldest member at the time of his death.

Born in Snohomish WA on October 1, 1926, Rex came to Kittitas County in the 1930's with his parents Sarah and Earl Fay and older sister Lylia; the family briefly running the Monterey outside Cle Elum on Highway 10, then purchasing the Day and Nite Café in Easton which became Fay's Place, the first of many businesses over four generations. Being post prohibition times, his mother wrote the local minister for permission to serve beer at their establishment and the business housed the town's first pay phone. His father was once Easton's constable.

As a teen, Rex played basketball and boxed in amateur "smokers" at the Eagles Hall of which he was later a member. The only time Rex left Easton was for the Army in 1945, going by train to California then Camp Hood, Texas. Rex met his wife, Marguerite Ellen (Peggy) Quillen when she was flying Civil Air Patrol. She came into the café asking if anyone could cook a decent steak. They were married in 1947 and had three daughters: Cheryl Lea, Earlene and Lylia.

In all, Rex owned and operated a restaurant, tavern, full service gas station, sporting goods, grocery and diner as well as dealerships for Ski-Doo, Can Am and Stihl. He was a figure of Easton's boom days when the Sunset Highway ran directly through town. He sponsored annual dog sled races, participated in local parades and quite often had something in the smokehouse for a pig or oyster roast. Everyone knew, "If he's in town, he's at Rex's."

An avid outdoorsman, Rex enjoyed being in the woods or on the water. His talents were many: business man, logger, snowmobiler, cook, salesman and shrewd pool player. A favored memory was his young daughter announcing to a full house, "Run all the balls Daddy. Dinner's ready." Rex was never without a story; from putting his first tree climbing spikes on backward and his buddy asking if he was climbing out of a barrel to waterskiing on Lake Kachess as a young man. His outdoor escapades fishing, crabbing, hunting and cutting wood with friends are countless.

Recent years found him sharpening chains for the saw, plowing snow with the old truck, driving daily to the post office and typically tending a fire.

A treasured family man, loyal friend, great dancer and an excellent cook. Rex certainly knew how to throw a party. He was the heart of our family and will be forever missed.