Rentz Gullick Jr.

Rentz Gullick, Jr., 92, of Mount Vernon, WA, entered heaven with a smile upon his face on Monday, November 21, 2016. He was born on Sunday morning, August 3, 1924 at St. Paul's Sanitarium in Dallas, TX, the son of Rentz & T.C. (Long) Gullick. Rentz was raised and received his schooling in the Dallas area, graduating from Sunset High School in 1941.

After high school, he attended North Texas Agricultural College for two years and was in the Navy V-12 program. The U.S. Navy called him up in July of 1943 and the Navy sent him to Rice University until November 1944 when he went to Midshipman's School at Columbia University in New York. Rentz later returned to Rice to complete his B.S. in Chemical Engineering in June of 1947. On July 1st of that same year, he received an offer and accepted a job with Shell Oil Company in Houston, TX. Rentz took a break from his new job and was recalled in the U.S. Navy for the Korean Conflict and spent a couple of years in the Pacific Ocean in and around Japan and Korea. After Naval discharge, Rentz returned to Shell and in 1990 he retired after 43 years of working in planning and computing at various locations; including Houston, TX, Anacortes, WA and New York City.

Joy was his when, in August 1963, Rentz married the love of his life, Jean Berglund in Burlington, WA. Ever the confirmed "bachelor", married life suited him and his first child, Steven Rentz Gullick was born in April 1970. A year and a half later his daughter, Ellen Marie (Gullick) Evans was born. The family was complete and lived near Hobby Airport in Houston until moving to Kingwood, the "Livable Forest", in 1978. While living in Kingwood, Rentz and the family were very active in the Kingwood Church of Christ. Around 1998, Rentz and Jean decided to become snowbirds and made their homes in Mount Vernon, WA and in Kingwood. Year after year they made the annual treks back and forth until finally selling the house in Kingwood and making their permanent home in Mount Vernon. While living in Mount Vernon, Jean's health began to decline and Rentz became her primary caregiver until he no longer could. He was very grateful to be able to celebrate a milestone of 50 years of marriage to her and grieved her passing in 2014.

Rentz was adventurous and loved to travel and take pictures. His travels took him overseas and around the U.S. He also enjoyed gardening and woodworking. When Rentz turned 80, his adventures really took off when he started going on long motorcycle rides with his close friend, Allen Hill.

Rentz was generous beyond measure and really wanted to meet the needs of people around him. His faith in Christ was paramount in his life and everyone knew it. Rentz's church family was also a priority of his and in his later years, he served as an Elder at Skagit Valley Church of Christ

He was preceded in death by his parents; his son, Steven Gullick in August of 2000; his wife of 51 years, Jean Gullick; his younger sister, Ann Worley earlier this year; and his nephew, Randy Dixon.

Rentz is survived by his older sister, Joyce Van Houten of Houston, TX; his daughter and son-in-law, Ellen and Derek Evans of Anacortes, WA; his beloved grandchildren, Ethan, Ellicia, Riley and Emily Evans of Anacortes; his brother-in-law and sister-in-law, Don and June Dixon of Anacortes; his nieces and nephews, Carole Green of Houston, TX, Linda Worley of Waco, TX, Neal (Edwina) Worley of Austin, TX, Gayle Worley of Austin, TX, and Dana (Elaine) Dixon of Bow, WA.; numerous great nieces and nephews; and very close friends, Allen (Judy) Hill of Ardmore, OK (formerly of Acme, WA), Jim (Laura) White of Anacortes, and Rodney (Karee) Blunt of Burlington, WA.

Funeral services were held at 11 a.m. on Tuesday, November 29, 2016 at Skagit Valley Church of Christ in Burlington, WA. Burial services with military honors followed at 2 p.m. at Mount Vernon Cemetery. Visitation was held on Monday, November 28, 2016 from 6-8 p.m. at Evans Funeral Chapel in Anacortes. In lieu of flowers, memorial gifts may be made to his church family at Skagit Valley Church of Christ, 215 S. Gardner Rd, Burlington, WA 98233.

Arrangements are in the care of Evans Funeral Chapel & Crematory Inc., of Anacortes, WA & the San Juan Islands. To share a memory of Rentz please visit www.evanschapel.com and sign the online guest register.