David William Grayson

Remembering an outstanding Policeman, Husband, Father and Grandfather. David was born in Shaunavon, Saskatoon, Canada of American parents, John E. Grayson and Maibelle Genevieve Olson, both of Lankin, N.D. Children born were his brother Joe, sister Phyllis, and then David.

The family moved from Canada to Glasgow, Montana and John Grayson got work on construction of the Fort Peck dam. The family rented a 2-room log cabin in New Deal, Montana and felt lucky to have it, as most of the workers were housed in temporary housing. When the dam was finished, the family moved to Tacoma and Dave’s father got work at Fort Lewis as an instructor teaching soldiers how to repair and maintain heavy equipment. Tragedy struck the family when Dave’s mother died suddenly of a hemorrhage. Dave was only 16 years old.

Joe had joined the Navy, and Phyllis, Dave and father tried as best they could to maintain the home. David remembers his father cooking a salmon every Saturday accompanied by split pea soup. Pea soup which he shunned eating for the rest of his life. His dad was called by the Government to go to Alaska to do the same job as he had at Fort Lewis. Phyllis and David moved back to Glasgow and lived with Grandma Grayson. Phyllis eventually married and moved with her husband to Texas.

David lived with Grandma until he graduated from Glasgow High School on May 27, l948. He had many jobs to help Grandma pay for their living expenses. He delivered newspapers, worked as a golf caddy, as a delivery boy for Buttrey’s grocery, as a Wonder Bread delivery boy filling stock in area stores, and as a movie projector operator in the town’s theater, where he sold tickets, ushered, and even popped the corn, trying to help himself and Grandma survive in a world that was not easy to live in at the time.

Time passes and Joe came home on Navy leave, whereupon David made the decision to join the Army. Joe helped him pack and get ready to board the early train the next morning, then took David out for a drink, and few more (remember, this was Montana), and they had hangovers the next morning. A huge crowd was at the station, and David said “gee, do you think they’re all here to see me off?” Just then a huge gray elephant came along side the tracks and people started yelling “Here comes the circus, here comes the circus!” It made a sad farewell, and ended in a laughing fit as they said goodbye. It was years until they saw each other again.

David’s father eventually moved back to the states and took a job at Hanford, WA. When David was honorably discharged from the Army, he had a great desire to go to the U of W. That summer he reconnected with his father who got him a laborer’s job at Hanford, and David made and saved his tuition and enrolled.

Being an Army vet, he got living quarters in one of the several barracks that were on campus at that time (these were torn down later). But now he had to get money for books and board, and he took any job he could find. At a local café he noticed that their menus were all hand-written so he asked the owner if he could type their daily menus in exchange for evening meals.

He pin-set at the campus bowling alley. Hard work at the time, as everything was set by hand. Later Dave got a job at Grandma’s Cookies on Lake Union, loading and unloading 100# sacks of flour, so heavy for a skinny l45 pound kid, that he suffered back trouble for months. If it weren’t for his Aunt Grace Van Hee in West Seattle, who invited him to Sunday dinners, he would go hungry. She treated him like a son and was so proud of him.

He earned his B.A. in Business Administration on Aug. 23, 1957 and tried accounting, but did not find it rewarding. He saw an opportunity to do something meaningful in public service, and joined the Seattle Police Department in 1957, starting out as a rookie, doing every phase of Patrolman’s duties working downtown and in the Central District. He loved his job as a Policeman. He found it exciting and meaningful. He and his partner, Robbie Robinson, won many letters of commendation from the citizens of the Central District. David earned his Master of Public Administration in 1974 from University of Puget Sound.

His work history is on Facebook page, too numerous to mention here. But it will show his progression from rookie, to his appointment as Assistant Chief by Chief Patrick Fitzsimmons, who saw the value of education in his men. David’s philosophy about work was to be on time, take advantage of as many opportunities to get further training as possible. He loved the Law, and all kinds of politics. He had a sharp, analytical mind. Most of all, he looked forward to getting up and going to work each day. He took only one sick day in 32 years on the job. In his last several years he enjoyed immensely

meeting with his buddies at RAP and having lunch and visiting, many men being in his Police rookie class 58 years ago. When he could no longer drive, his friends came and took him to RAP.

David retired after 32 years at SPD, and we moved to Stanwood, built a home, but did not “retire.” He continued as a director of Seattle Metropolitan Credit Union, and was appointed as a civil service commissioner for Police and Fireman of Snohomish County, a volunteer job that he held for many years.

David met and married Charlene, through the match-making efforts of Patrolman Bill Lance and Ginny Lance of Leo’s Café, a marriage lasting 53 years until David’s passing. David is survived by his two sons, David D.( who has two children, David N. and wife Santana and Joscelyne C. “Josie” ), and a second son Steven J. and wife Cindy, and his beloved 26 lb. chihuahua, Cocoa. Also many nieces and nephews’ by his brother Joe, who mainly resides in Seattle, and finally the nieces and nephews of his sister Phyllis who reside in Texas. Sadly, sister Phyllis passed away May 7, 20l4, 8 days before David passed.

To Eva, Anthony and Aurora of Providence Hospice who so lovingly attended to David, and to Eva and her husband, a Snohomish County Deputy who sat with David on his last day before David’s family got to the hospital. Your caring means so much to us. David will be laid to rest in Acacia Memorial Park, 14951 Bothell Way NE, Seattle, WA 98155 on June 20th at 2:00 PM

If you wish to send memorials, David’s favorite charities are the Paralyzed Veterans of America and Seattle’s Union Gospel Mission.

All are welcome to sign the online guestbook below and add any messages or stories for the Grayson family.