Wes Pomeroy

Westley (Wes) Pomeroy died peacefully in his home Friday, June 4, 2010. His children, Dana, Gaye, Martha and Mary, son in law’s Adam and Jon, and grandchildren Adelei and Natasha were with him when he passed.

Wes was the fifth child of Floyd Pomeroy and Georgia Dukeshire of Eureka MT. He was born January 27, 1924, in Auburn, WA. Wes attended a one room school house in his early childhood along with his eight siblings.

Wes graduated from Lincoln County High, Eureka, MT in 1943. Afterwards he joined the Army Air Corp and was based in Hawaii and Japan. He went on to attend Centralia Junior College, and finished his schooling at Central Washington College of Education in Ellensburg, WA. He graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in Education and a Masters in Mathematics.

He met his future wife Patricia Saling while attending Central Washington; they married in Yakima on September 6, 1952. Wes and Pat raised four daughters: Dana, Gaye, Martha and Mary.

Wes and his family moved to Orcas Island in 1963 where he taught for the Orcas School District. During his years of teaching he was involved in coaching of multiple sports, advising of student groups, and support of many other extracurricular student activities.

Since his retirement in 1985, Wes has been involved in many community activities, including Orcas Lions Club, Orcas Artworks, and the Westsound Water District. Recently he especially enjoyed being active in the Orcas Senior Center and the Orcas Island Community Church. Wes worked with wood all his life, and during his time on Orcas crafted many projects for both public and private use.

Wes was preceded in death by his wife Patricia Pomeroy, and by six of his eight siblings. He is survived by his daughters Dana (Dan) Speece and their sons Ian and Kyle, Gaye (Jon) DeRoost, Martha (Adam) Warachowski and their daughters Adelei and Natasha, and Mary Baxter. He is also survived by two brothers with their wives, Theodore (Betty) and Caleb (Shirley), numerous nephews, nieces, and cousins.

A memorial service will be held on July 11, 2010, at 1 p.m. at the Orcas Island Community Church. In lieu of flowers, the family asks that remembrances be made to the charity of your choice.