Gus Michael Egan

January 13, 1953 - March 4, 2015

Gus Michael Egan March 4, 2015. Gus died at Franciscan Hospice in Tacoma with his sister Sonja and long-time friends Bob Hahn, Chuck Deuel, Deb Kelly, Melissa O'Connell and Dennis Hamlin with him throughout the day. January 13, 1953. Gus was born a month pre-mature. He wasn't breathing. Then very quickly a nun, the maternity nurse, gave him mouth-to-mouth resuscitation and brought him to life. His mother named him Michael. His father - for reasons unknown -- called him Gus. And Gus he always was. To his sister, his brother and neighbors he was the adorable and adored Baby Gus. He had golden auburn curls and big brown eyes that could be soulful one minute and devilish the next. He never lost that charm. Don Kneeland, a friend and neighbor, remembers Gus growing up. "He always had his own really unique personality. He let his hair grow out and his fingernails grow out. He didn't care what other people thought." He retained a unique look and personality. When his brother Bart died at 50 Gus grew dreadlocks as a remembrance of him. He told that to a few people and let the rest think what they would. "He his own kind of idea about things," added Don. "But he was always super kind and thoughtful of others, not someone opinionated about what other people should do." He may have wavered on those qualities, but he never really lost them either. The other thing he never really lost was his love of music. He was born into the era of rock and roll and his siblings immersed him in it. He took drum lessons as a kid, became a roadie for a local band with Larry Kirkland traveling all over the U.S. and later played bass and drums with several bands around town and in Seattle. Gus graduated from Olympia High School in 1971 and married his high school sweetheart Sue Mauerman. They had a daughter Justine. He later married Mari Ninnis and had a family of three: his stepdaughter, Danielle, daughter, Robin and son Casey. He worked for three decades for the state delivering mail to state offices all over Olympia, Tacoma and Seattle. He met so many people he rarely went anywhere without running into someone he knew. With 17 years clean and sober, he was helped and helped many people find recovery from the sorrows and suffering of addictions. His service work in recovery groups was a passionate commitment to him. "He was a leader and a teacher and a hero to us," said Teresa Esslinger to whom Gus lent a helping hand and heart. He looked like a Harley guy, and he was, but he was also a man of many other interests. He loved fishing, bonsai trees and old growth trees, and always, always playing music with bands such as Psycho-Pharm, Plastik Jesus, Neo-Con and other hard-rockin' punk groups. He loved pro sports and you didn't dare call him when a Seahawks game was on. His very favorite foods: sushi and fried rice. He was a passionate student of art and went to museums all over the world. He was a serious reader of history and biography. He avidly watched Charlie Rose's in-depth interviews with writers, politicians, scientists, artists, architects and business people. He relished discussing the ideas they presented. He was a life-long Democrat. He was a smart guy, but the descriptions that most often come up are about what a good friend he was and how fun and funny he was. "He loved playing music," said his friend Melissa. "But he often said it was all about the relationships, the friendships with his band members. Each of his friends got his full attention, he was just such a good friend." "He was more than quick-witted," said his sister Sonja. "His humor was imaginative and inventive. He had a kind of Jonathan Winters ability to make faces and characters and little stories from an everyday event or comment." That continued to his last days. Having vanilla pudding for breakfast in the hospital, he finished it, made a proper British face and said in a high, plummy voice, "Simply fabulous." Gus's parents, Patrick and Lois Egan and his brother Bart (Pat) Egan preceded him in death. His daughter Justine Ross, (Martin) and her children Amari, Sophia and Dallas; his son Casey Egan, his daughter Robin Walker and her family and stepdaughter Danielle Corbin and her family, his sister Sonja Egan Johnston and her son Patrick survive him. A gathering to remember Gus will be held today at The Friends Meeting House, 3201 Boston Harbor Rd. at 3:30.