Hal Syrstad, formerly of Orcas Island, died peacefully on Aug. 10, 2007.

Hal was born in Spokane, Wash. on Sept. 1, 1915, to Leah and Sievert Syrstad. He grew up in Spokane, moved to Seattle as a young man, where he married his wife, Irene Gronvold, on Nov. 27, 1937.

They moved to Renton Washington, there they lived for 40 years. Hal worked in the CCCV camps, the Seattle shipyard, raised poultry in Renton, and was a radio-television technician at the University of Washington from 1956 to 1976. When Hal retired, he and his wife Irene moved to Orcas Island where they built their retirement home, and lived for 26 years. They moved to Longview, Wash. in 2006.

Hal enjoyed fishing, gardening, square dancing, biking and traveling. He and Irene enjoyed going to their winter home in Oatman, Ariz. for several years.

Hal is survived by his wife Irene, sons John and his wife, Wendy of Wenatchee, Wash., Jim and his wife, Kathy of St. Helens, Ore., and daughter, Peggy Baumgardner and her husband, Steve, of Eau Claire, Wis. He is also survived by his grandchildren Tracy Jones, Tanya Schnieider, Garrett Baumgardner, Jenny Baumgardner, Erik Syrstad, Kirsten Humbird and nine great grandchildren. Hal is preceded in death by his parents Sievert and Leah and his brother, Arthur.

Hal was a very talented man with a great sense of humor. He will be sadly missed by his family and friends.