LANCE RUSSELL GILKEY

Lance Russell Gilkey, a long-time resident of Mount Vernon, presently residing in McNeal, AZ, passed away on January 5, 2013.

Mr. Gilkey was born in Lake Oswego, OR, on June 3, 1942, to Dale and Virginia Gilkey.

He attended Mount Vernon High School, graduating in 1960.

He served in the U.S. Navy; during which time he married Barbara Linder. They were blessed with three children. During that time he went to work for American Can Company in Waukegan, IL. Was transferred to Waterloo, IA after completing his training and proceeded to travel around the state, repairing and building canning machinery. He taught school for a period of time before moving back to Washington. He went to work for Ostrom Mushroom in Olympia. The family split apart during this time and Lance went to work for Whitney-Fidalgo Seafoods in Seattle. He obviously had a bad case of wanderlust. He spent many years in Alaska and American Samoa. He did remarry and ended up teaching school in Tacoma. When the marriage ended, Lance went to work in Arizona. He was in the process of moving back to Mount Vernon, when several strokes and a broken hip made that impossible.

Lance's parents and a son, Douglas Gilkey preceded him in death.

Lance was cremated in Arizona and brought back home.

Lance is survived by a daughter, Tracy Crossman; husband Kurt and Lisa Rhodes; husband Cris, a grandson Christopher Barrett, a sister Erin Brostad and nephew Eric Brostad.