Dee Ellis Strausbaugh

Dee Strausbaugh Dee Ellis Strausbaugh, a longtime resident of the Kittitas Valley, passed away at Virginia Mason Hospital in Seattle on Friday morning September 7th with his family at his bedside. Born on June 22nd, 1938 near Winthrop Washington, he spent summers with his Grandma Wickert in Chelan, Washington where she endeavored to keep him out of trouble. He would tell stories of "high speed chases" on his Cushman motor scooter only to find a policeman sitting with his mother when he got home.

Band, Football and sports were his favorite high school activities, and he enlisted in the Navy Reserves before he graduated in 1956. After graduation he was employed at Boeing as a riveter for a time before he enlisted as an active Duty Navy Aviation Mechanic-Hydraulics technician. Dee went on to make the Navy his career. He served on the aircraft carriers USS Kittyhawk, the Midway, the Ranger, the Nimitz, the Constitution, and the Forrestal. He worked on the A-3 bomber, the A-6 and the A-7 fighter planes out of such varied places as Sanford, Florida; Virginia Beach, Virginia; Millington, Tennessee and Whidbey Island, Washington. His last duty station before he finished his 23 year career was Naval Air Station Lemoore in Lemoore, California.

During his time in the Navy, Dee met Shirley Randall, also in the Navy, at Memphis Naval Air Station. Six weeks after meeting they were married in the Spring of 1959. Not wanting to be April Fools they chose April 2nd for their Ripley, Tennessee Justice of the Peace wedding. Their infamous wedding night was spent at the Rip Van Winkle Hotel in Millington, Tennessee. Shirley was honorably discharged from the Navy and accompanied Dee as his wife for the next 58 years. Upon retirement in 1978, Dee and his family moved to Wenatchee, Washington where he began work as an auto mechanic and tow truck driver. An opportunity to manage a church camp outside of Ellensburg brought Dee to Lazy F United Methodist Retreat Center.

A gregarious man by nature, Dee loved the diverse people he met in his 8 years as manager. Following this stint he moved from the Manastash Canyon to Hanson Road where he and his wife lived for many years with frequent visits from his children and many grandchildren. Dee had many more jobs at local businesses before he completely retired. In 1995 Dee and Shirley started a small craft business and were vendors of a variety of handmade signs and toys for the next 20 years at the Kittitas Valley Farmer's Market. At first, Dee took turns with other vendors as market master. He had great joy in ringing the triangle and yelling "Market's Open!" A few years ago Dee and Shirley moved into town and were no longer vendors at the market. However, you could still find Dee there most Saturday mornings looking to buy his favorite baked good and talk to everyone he would meet.

He is survived by his wife: Shirley; children: Dean, Doug, Karen; 6 grandchildren: Anna, Derek, Ian, Alyssa, Donal, Myrna Jo and 3 great-grandchildren. Dee was preceded in death by son, David, brothers Martin and Norman and sister Dorothea. The Strausbaugh family would like to thank Kittitas Valley Home Health and Hospice for their excellent, gentle care.

Per Dee's request there will be no memorial service.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Hospice Friends of Ellensburgenter, Ellensburg, WA.