DARRELL JESSE

I knew, and last saw, Darrell when he looked like that. We were classmates at Gonzaga Prep in Spokane. Darrell was the star of the student production of the Broadway hit "Green Pastures." His role: The Lord. (I was Gabriel, His right-hand angel.) Needless to say he was a Great Boss then, too. Very sorry to learn of his passing.

Don and I are so sorry to hear that the world has lost Darrell, a man intensely dedicated to his love of God, family and the support of Catholic education. He has run the good race and his smiling presence will be missed greatly by all of us who called him friend.

The following is the eulogy that I wrote but didn't have a chance to share at the funeral:

Thank you for coming to celebrate the life of a man whom we know in different ways, as father, husband, brother, uncle, grandfather, great-grandfather, employer and friend.

I'm going to say just a few things from my perspective as a son, and I'll do my best to speak for my brother Phil and my sister Anna, because they elected me to do this!

Okay. You know, or have heard about how dad was raised in a farming community. It was in that community that he learned about hard work, and sacrifice. He developed a faith in god, and he learned about the importance of treating other people with respect.

I think these values became the foundation for how he lived the rest of his life.

At 14 years old, in the interest of providing the opportunity for a good education, his parents enrolled him in a high school near Portland called Columbia Prep, where he was a boarding student. Columbia Prep closed after his junior year, and he finished high school even farther away from home, at Gonzaga Prep in Spokane.

I think there was part of him that wanted to remain a farmer. One day last year during a casual conversation he was asking me how work was going, and I told him I enjoyed my job and that it was going well. But I also told him that if I could find a way to work some land and still pay my bills, I'd be doing it. And he smiled and said me too.

He had a strong work ethic, but he also knew how to play. He was the old school skier - he told me about hitchhiking up to Timberline Lodge on Mount Hood, skiing down to the highway, and hitchhiking back up.

He shared his love of skiing with mom and with us kids. One winter in Spokane the snow fell pretty deep, and with a shovel dad piled it even higher and made a little hill in the front yard that nearly reached the roof of the house. We had some used wooden skis and he taught us how to side step up this little hill and how to ski down and make a turn.

A left turn, as I recall. We had to turn left because the driveway was to the right. And to this day, 50 years later when I'm skiing, turning left comes a little easier than turning right.

He would take us skiing on Mount Spokane, in a Volkswagen microbus which seemed to lack a functioning heater. I remember riding the chairlift with him to the top of the mountain, to what seemed to me at the time like a beautiful, frozen white planet, and how he skied off ahead of me, disappearing into the trees. I remember a rush of adrenaline, trying to catch up with him, feeling a sense of adventure and challenge. After that, I was hooked on skiing for life.

He took us outside. There was always trout fishing on opening day Salmon fishing on Puget Sound Sailing on Puget Sound Waterskiing on Puget Sound ....

Dad was happy when he had something to work on. Especially when there was a project that would benefit his family. For him, this kind of work was play.

Here's an example. About 25 years ago there was an old tree in my backyard with big rotting branches that were threatening to come crashing through the roof of either my house or the neighbor's. It had to be removed. And it was not a small tree.

The thought of playing it safe and calling a tree service never did occur to us. So one Saturday, armed with ladders and ropes and an old chain saw, we went at it. Or should I say, HE went at it. Before I knew it, he was up the ladder, stepping out onto a big branch and starting up the chain saw. I can still picture him about 20 feet up in the air, reaching out with the chain saw roaring, sawdust flying and branches crashing to the ground. We made quick work of that tree, somehow not injuring ourselves or any nearby structures.

He also loved to work on boats. It seems there was always some kind of boat being bought, fixed up, sold, traded, or towed from state to state as we moved. (I think he had a trailer hitch on every vehicle he ever owned.)

Anyhow, These were assorted small sailboats and row boats, fishing boats and and ski boats. In fact, one of my earliest memories as a little boy is of helping dad work on a boat. He had bought an old wooden sailing dinghy, about 15 feet long, that was almost seaworthy. To this day, the smell of fiberglass epoxy resin takes me right back to that garage in Los Angeles.

Another early memory from that time in LA was when he borrowed a neighbor's pickup truck to haul off some stuff to the dump. It was an old pickup with bad engine. You can imagine what that must have looked like on the freeway in Los Angeles, with the surrounding traffic exceeding the 70 mph speed limit. A pickup truck going 30 was a definite hazard .... Of which dad was informed by a California Highway Patrol officer. Of course, for a long time, he could claim that the only traffic ticket he ever got was for going too slow!

When I think about all the help and guidance he provided to me and to so many others, I feel grateful and also amazed. He never stopped doing and being everything he could for his family. Even during his journey with cancer, he gave us some surprising gifts. Our experience with him gave us all a better perspective on life, a better understanding of what's really important and what isn't.

He brought us together as a family. These past few weeks, while rough, have been full of emotionally powerful connections with him and with each other. Personally speaking, my relationship with my father became closer than I could have ever imagined. I felt his love intensely. I learned to appreciate his wisdom. It became more precious as the years passed.

Just a few weeks ago, dad and I were sitting in the kitchen by ourselves, talking about changes in the weather, and the signs of spring we were seeing. He made a comment that has stuck with me. He said the thing about dying is that I pay more attention to the change of seasons.

I got the sense he was seeing things in a new way. He spoke about looking forward to summer, and berries ripening, and peaches ...

He wanted to be around his family so much that he fought the disease and stayed with us for much longer than the doctors ever expected. He was the definition of tough. But he was tough in a humble way. That's one of the things I most admired about him.

I want to say to all of his grandkids: He treasured every moment that he spent with you. You can see it in his smile in all the photos of you together.

And he loved mom. There was never any doubt about this. We could all see this .... in how he looked at her, at how he respected her, and in how he did everything possible to make a nice life together with her.

We'll all miss him.

But today, we're celebrating his life.

So sorry to here of Darrell's passing and very sorry I could not be there today. He well be greatly missed by me and all the fisherman in Westport he was a great man I am going to miss the phone calls of were the fish are biting every week. RIP my friend

So sorry to hear of Darrell's passing. Wanted to let you know how kind he was to to my husband Kenny Kent and how much our family appreciated him Margaret Kent and family

Our deepest condolences to the Jesse Family. It was my honor over 25 years to know Darrelll. He was a man of such great integrity. We are forever indebted to him for trusting in our family business over the years.

- Jozo Batina

I remember learning to read sitting on my cousin Darrell's lap in Roy, Oregon and looking out the window from our grandparent's house watching the hearse take grandma from the church to the cemetery. Darrell you now join the eternal spirit of family that have preceded you.
I have known you as a man who serves; a man who makes the extra effort to connect and be there. A gentleman that cares.

God has a special place for Darrell, but he knows we want him too. If there is tuna in heaven...he's fishing.

God has a special place in mind for Darrell,
I am glad I was part of his days with us.
If there is Tuna up in heaven, he is fishing.

Darrell's leadership and generosity made a huge difference in support of Catholic school children. He was a tireless advocate and his leadership will be sorely missed. He was a giant of our faith.

My deep sympathy
Andie Gernon

All of the staff at Pizza Casa will miss our beloved friend Darrell, the best of the best..

to

Ann and family

Darrell was World Class! The best of his field. I never worked for anybody I respected more. When I went to work for JEC it was the best decision I ever made. He always made time to stop and talk to you. I always enjoyed going to work at JEC.

Michael Dickman
JEC employee 1984-2006

Darrell Jesse was a giant of a man and looked up to by everyone of his employees. The reason Jesse Engineering has such craftsmanship and quality is because Darrell expected it. A weld can't just be to code it has to look great too. If a job wasn't the highest quality in Darrell's eyes, it was not leaving the shop. I can only imagine the number of people Darrell helped/touched along the way. I am honored to be one of them, and to have done so for the last 19 years. Job well done Mr. Jesse!
Gust Erickson - Manager of Sales & Estimating
Jesse Engineering

I will always be thankful to have worked for and with Darrell for many years. He would accept and complete literally hundreds of the most challenging projects to be found in his chosen field. To be on his team was a great honor and I will never forget him.

Darrell was the nicest person I ever worked for. He was always willing to listen and was always fair.
I was proud to call him friend.
Rest in Peace Old Friend. You will be missed.

Rest in Peace, cousin Darrell. Thank you for your gentle, faithful way in which you lived your life and your spirit which will live on.

Ann and the entire Jesse family, my heartfelt condolences and my prayers are with you as you move through this loss.

Attached is a page from an old Steeves family scrap book that I thought would bring back some great memories of days gone by.