Dwight Wendell Gause

DWIGHT WENDELL GAUSE Beloved husband, brother, father, grandfather and great grandfather Dwight Wendell Gause peacefully passed on Thursday morning, February 26, 2009. He joins his loving wife, Eleanor Gause, who preceded him last May after 59 years of marriage. He was born May 24, 1922 to Lester and Clara (Lory) Gause in Searsboro, Iowa. He grew up on a farm near Lynnville, Iowa, the sixth of seven boys. In high school, he and his brother Ralph were on the only Lynnville boys' team to advance to the state basketball tournament. Dwight served his country in World War II from 1942 B 1945 in the Army Air Corps as a pilot primarily flying the B-24 Liberator, as a First Lieutenant, with the 11th Bomb Group in the Western Pacific. After returning from the war Dwight used the GI Bill to attend Colorado State University in Fort Collins, Colorado. His roommate Jim Oxley introduced him to his sister, who became the love of his life. Dwight was united in marriage to Eleanor Oxley on March 19, 1949 in Boulder, Colorado. Dwight graduated from CSU in June of 1949 and went on to receive his Masters in Forestry from CSU in summer of 1950. After logging in the forests of Colorado and Mississippi, he joined the Weyerhaeuser Company in 1957 at Longview, moving to Tacoma in 1961. Dwight retired as Manager Special Projects in 1987, concluding 30 years with Weyerhaeuser. He and Eleanor loved spending time with their family, traveling, and maintaining the "flowering manicured yard" of their Auburn home. Dwight's love for basketball continued throughout his life watching his grandsons all play basketball for Bellarmine and following the current Lions' efforts. He is survived by his son Randy (Sherree) Gause, grandsons Phil, Scot and Greg Gause, great grandson Luke Gause, and brother Ralph (Virginia) Gause of Indianapolis. Father Jerry Chapdelaine, SJ will preside over a memorial service celebrating Dwight's life on Saturday March 28, 2009 at 11:00 am at Bellarmine Preparatory School's St. Aloysius Chapel. He will be interred at Tahoma National Cemetery on April 2nd at 10:30am. The Gause Family wishes to thank the professional and compassionate staff of TG's new Cardiac Care wing. We treasure you all. Thank you to Fr Seamus Laverty, Fr Jerry, friends and family for their loving presence and prayerful support. Continue to celebrate Dwight's life by donating to the family's designated charities: Bellarmine Preparatory School's gym fund, Bellarmine Development Office, 2300 S Washington,Tacoma, WA 98405; Tacoma General Hospital, Cardiac Care Unit, P.O. Box 5296, Tacoma, WA 98415