Leroy Vincent Gidlof, 90 years old and a beloved husband and father, went to be with the Lord on July 11, 2020. Lee was born in the family farmhouse on June 22, 1930 in Orienta, Bayfield County Wisconsin and passed away at home in Silverdale after battling cancer.
Lee grew up in northern Wisconsin to Swedish parents Anna Teolinda Gidlund and Erick Albin Gidlof. He was the youngest in the family and had 8 siblings, 7 of who made it to adulthood. He was calm, a quiet force, and held true to the quote that “You can always tell a Swede – but you can't tell him much”. Lee was happy when his parents moved off the farm in 1939. He said the life of a dairy farmer was very hard, and wanted to be sure he had a job that wasn't on a farm when he grew up. He graduated from Garfield High School in Seattle and his first job was cutting the grass at the local funeral home in West Seattle.
Lee met the love of his young life, Janet Carol Wouwenaar, roller skating. He picked her out of the crowd since she was the tallest young lady there and he thought she was the oldest – but it was the reverse. She was the youngest in the crowd. They fell quickly in love, but had a long engagement since Janet still needed to graduate from Roosevelt high school and had a couple years of school left. While he waited for her, Lee completed the Navy Training to be an Aviation Machinists Mate as a member of the Naval Reserve at Sand Point Naval Air Station.
Lee loved old cars, and tinkering in the garage for fun. When cars became more automated they weren't as much fun to fix any more for him. He owned many interesting cars thru the years, including an Edsel and a Baby Lincoln. He enjoyed car museums and car parades, and also had fun riding motorcycles off road near Benson Lake. Motors of all kinds fascinated him, and he could fix just about anything. He enjoyed playing Bridge and Scrabble with friends and family, and often worked crossword puzzles. He enjoyed reading Popular Mechanics and Consumer Reports. And he could barbeque a mean flank steak and his barbequed chicken was a much requested dish.
Lee worked at the Seattle Times as an Advertising Representative, where he created and sold newspaper advertising. He trained many of his supervisors since he was unable to be promoted without a college education. He made sure his children and grandchildren were encouraged in their education and he always celebrated their achievements.
Lee and Janet lived in a brick house in North Seattle where they raised their three girls, Pamela, Lisa and Shelly. Lee's joy was all his girls. He took his vacation in the summer and the family went camping all over the western United States. A favorite memory of his daughters was when he played 'ghost' in the tent. It would be quiet and dark, and he would sneak up and say “boo!” and all the girls would squeal in delight.
The camping trips became fewer when he bought property on Benson Lake and built a cabin for the family to enjoy. Instead of camping, there was now had a cedar chalet to spend summer vacations and weekends in. When Lee retired in 1991 he did a major remodel on the cabin to make it a house. In 2000, his lovely Janet passed away from lymphoma.
In 2005 Lucie Townsend brought joy back into his life when she became his wife. She brought him much happiness through the years they spent together, and she was his strength through his last days. He listened and understood her to the very end, and her love and patience gave him incredible peace. They celebrated their 15th Anniversary with a wonderful dinner and some good wine with many of their children present – less than a month before his passing. Up until the end Lee loved good food and good wine, especially if it was Italian food. He will be incredibly missed by all of his family.
Lee is survived by his wife Lucie Gidlof, daughters Lisa Mauler (Tony Cataldo) and Shelly Rawding (Dan), step-children Dee McCall (Frank) and Nate Townsend (Rebecca), grandchildren Justine Rawding (Michael Maloney), Brett Rawding, Mariah Rawding, Jacob Rawding, Andrew Eder, James Eder, Emily Wilson, step-grandchild Nat Townsend, and the apple of his eye, his great-granddaughter Svea Josefine Maloney. Lee was preceded in death by wife Janet Gidlof and daughter Pamela Wilson.
Service will be held socially distanced and outside at St Hugh's in Allyn on a date to be determined, and Lee will be buried in Abbey View Cemetery in Brier, WA. His wish is for contributions to be sent to St Hugh's of Allyn in his name in lieu of flowers.
Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.Evergreen-Washelli.com for the Gidlof family.
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