Leroy Thomas Desilet

LeRoy (Lee) Thomas Desilet was born in Spokane, Washington on June 4, 1925 to Irene M. and Albert J. Desilet. His mother was a housewife and his father was a sawyer in a lumber mill. When Lee still was young, his family moved to Lewiston, Idaho, where he grew up with his siblings in a close, loving family and in an idyllic neighborhood full of children who played kick the can, rubber guns, and sand lot baseball. During the Great Depression, Lee sold newspapers on the downtown Lewiston street corners to help his family. He attended Lewiston High School and graduated in 1942.

After the onset of WWII, in 1943 he enlisted in the U.S. Navy. He was a naval air gunner, navigator, and photographer. He made two missions over Tokyo just prior to Japan's surrender in 1945. He was a "fly-by" witness to Japan's surrender on the battleship Missouri. He was honorably discharged and returned home to attend Washington State University on the GI Bill. He majored in communications and graduated in 1950.

He married Elaine I. Melis on August 16, 1947. They had four children: Paul R., Gary W., Dean L., and LeAnne E. Desilet Schrotzberger.

Lee began his career as a radio sports announcer in Yakima, Washington at KIT radio, where he had to re-create the baseball games he reported. He worked there during the 1950s, establishing his reputation as a respected voice and reporter of sports news. He met famous personalities such as Satchel Page, Edward R. Murrow, Casey Stengel, Ben Hogan, and more. In 1959 Lee then accepted a position with KOMO radio in Seattle, Washington, broadcasting Seattle Rainier baseball and Seattle University basketball games. He worked there until 1967. He became the public relations officer for Shoreline Community College when it first opened in 1967. Boeing hired Lee to film the construction of the manufacturing plant and the assembly of the first 747. Lee also worked for the Washington State Optometrist Association in the 1970s as a public relations officer, and ended his communications career as a relator for McPherson's Realty in Woodinville. Lee loved all of his jobs, the variety they offered and challenges they posed. His employers sought Lee out not only because of his professional skills, but the easy, friendly way he engaged with people.

He retired to Sequim in 1991. Beginning in the 80's and in retirement Lee took up painting with pastels and oils. He was an accomplished photographer and won recognition for his work in local art shows. When he was not painting, golf was on his weekly agenda. Lee regaled his family and friends with his WWII, radio, and golf stories that he loved to tell at family gatherings.

He is survived by his wife, Elaine, his four children, five grandchildren, and two great-grandchildren. All surviving family members live in the greater Seattle area with the exception of his daughter, LeAnne, who lives in West Linn, Oregon. He also is survived by one younger sibling, Phil Desilet of Jerome, Idaho. His older siblings, Maxine Desilet Dickerson and Earl R. Desilet pre-deceased him.