Herbert Eugene Brasher Sr.

Gene Brasher, a long-time resident of the Olympia and Tenino areas, went home to Jesus on January 27, 2025, at the age of 95. There will be a Celebration of Life on February 22, 2025, at 11:00 AM at the Tumwater First Baptist Church in Tumwater, Washington.

He was married to Joyce Brasher for 60 years until her death in 2012. Their descendants include children Gene Brasher Jr of Shelton, Sherry Stacy (Mike) of Tumwater, Cindy (Tod) Weyrauch of Tenino, April (Dennis) Fagerness of Rochester, Bret (Julie) Brasher of Edgewood, three "son" nephews, Mike (Kim) O'Hara, Tim (May) O'Hara, Kevin (Renee) O'Hara, 24 grand-children, (Tony, Melissa, Daniel, Kelly, Andrew, Joshua, Steven, Stephanie, Sam, Joanna, Naomi, Jesse, Krista, Joshua, Caleb, Angie, Aaron, Kirsten, Jonathan, Jennifer, Sheila, Sean, Sandra, Kyle), and 37 great-grandchildren.

Gene was born in Birmingham, Alabama, to Isaac and Gladys Brasher. His toddler sister Mary preceded him in death, and he became the oldest of seven children (Katherine, Mickey, Juanita, Alton, Charlotte, and Glenda.) His sisters Katherine, Juanita, and Charlotte preceded him in death.

He entered the Air Force in 1946 during the Korean War and was stationed in Alaska at Elmendorf Air Force Base and then at McCord Air Force Base, where he met Joyce Hays on a blind date. He wasn’t blind and soon realized she was the real deal! They were married on April 12, 1952.

Gene left the Air Force soon after marrying and settled with Joyce in Olympia. He began work for the Olympia Fire Department as a fireman. He also worked at Eads Transfer and moved on to the Olympia Brewery Co., where he worked for 30 years.

Gene has often been referred to as "legendary" among his family. We smile frequently at the many accomplishments Gene had in life. He was an avid bowler (he bowled a perfect 300 game once) and an avid golfer (having won the Olympia Brewery Golfing Tournament twice). He loved to play men's Fastpitch and was the star pitcher on the Olympia Brewery Men's Softball team. He loved hunting deer, elk, and moose during his long life. He also fished, dug clams, and did pheasant hunting with his beloved hunting dogs. He was a farmer, raising cattle, horses, sheep, pigs, chickens, rabbits and hay. And if that was not enough, he loved gardening as well. One might say Gene was too busy, but then you didn't know the man, a twinkle in his eye, he loved his wife Joyce and his family and incorporated all his children and grandchildren in his love of so many activities. One of his grandsons recently said that he was generous of his time and loved sharing his life with his family. He loved traveling to Montana to hunt deer and Alaska to fish for salmon. He owned a fishing boat for a few seasons and would take family members and friends to Westport, Ilwaco and La Push to fish for salmon. One year, he won the Westport Salmon Derby with a 40-pound king salmon. As if that wasn’t enough he found time to be in a small group of friends in an investment group in real estate.

While Gene loved many activities, he also loved Jesus Christ, his Savior and Lord, and attended St. Mark's Lutheran Church in Rochester for many years.

His family and friends would say he was much loved and he lived well.