Darhl Floyd Avery Sr

Darhl Floyd Avery Sr., of Olympia, Washington, passed away on February 27, 2026, at the age of 90. Darhl was born on October 13, 1935, to Dewey and Jennie (Johnston) Avery in a cabin in Turtle River, Minnesota. Darhl was the 11th child of 13 children, preceded in death by his parents; step-father Jerome Burke; and his siblings – Warren, Glenford, Edwin, Delores (Collins), Ila (Dills), Donald "Donny", Helen, Etta (Greenup), Carolyn (Peterman) and Chester "Chet". He is survived by his youngest brother, Leon. Darhl married Shirley Ann McKinlay on February 12, 1956. They recently celebrated their 70th wedding anniversary together. Along with Shirley, Darhl leaves behind his children – Darhl Avery Jr. "DJ" and Leslie Munson; daughter-in-law Lorri Avery; grandchildren Rachel, Paige, Nick and Shane; great-grandson Tyler and great-granddaughters Aalaya and Leilani. He also leaves behind many nephews, nieces and relatives, along with many friends.

Darhl was an accomplished and respected carpenter, tradesman and general contractor. He spent most of his career working for A.B. Cuda Construction in Olympia, Washington, and worked on countless homes and businesses in the local community. His construction knowledge and work ethic were top-notch. He built three custom homes for his family, including one where DJ and Lorri live today.

Darhl loved the outdoors. He travelled to Petersburg, Alaska many times, first to build a friend's home, and always to fish, boat and have fun with dear friends. He would bring back salmon, halibut and crab for delicious seafood feasts. For many years, Darhl and Shirley hosted an annual neighborhood party that leaves us all with lasting memories. Watching sports with family was a favorite activity – Darhl was an avid Mariners and Seahawks fan, and was tickled to watch the recent Seahawks postseason and Super Bowl win.

Darhl was also an avid hunter. His adventures with his hunting buddies were one of the highlights of his life. He also enjoyed golfing and spending winters with Shirley and friends in the Southern California desert. His special treats were Shirley's halibut beer bits, a little Crown Royal on the rocks, and a prime rib end cut "if you have it".

Most of all, Darhl absolutely loved his family and friends. He was a wonderful husband, father, grandpa, uncle, mentor, and friend to so many. To know Darhl was to love Darhl. Darhl had the biggest heart and everyone around him felt it. He woke up every day on the right side of the bed, and we were all so lucky to experience life with him, love him, and be loved by him. We will miss him very much.