Roy E Friis

Roy met his future wife, Jeanette Lois Johnson in the 7th grade when he was throwing cherry pits at her and a friend at an orchard in Grand Mound, WA. That began a love affair that would last for the next 67 years and was a model for anyone who knew them.

Roy and Jeanette both graduated from UW where Roy earned his degree in Forest Management. He put that degree to good use, working in the Forestry Division of the WA DNR for the next 30 years, with a short 2-year break in the U.S. Army. Roy began his career as an Inventory Forester and left the DNR as the Division Manager for Timber Sales for the state of WA. He volunteered for the Griffin Fire District for 30 years and served on the school board as well. Roy did something most of us dream of doing - he and Jeanette both retired before the age of 53 so they could focus on travel, family, and fun.

Roy and Jeanette lived their retirement to the fullest, as they were involved in church groups, antique truck and car clubs, DNR retiree reunions, cutting firewood on their managed forest, razor clam harvesting, visiting family and friends across the country and in the local area, restoring antiques, camping, raising a few chickens, enjoying the bounty of a pretty amazing garden, and hosting “quick visits” by all who used to stop by. They combined their love of travel with other hobbies to include cruises with church friends, attending car and truck shows, and driving new school buses from the east coast for the local school district back to the distribution centers in WA. They transported over 25 brand new school buses and visited 47 states in a school bus, traveling 60,000 miles without incident.

Roy loved the Lord, and he loved people. He and Jeanette attended Good Shepherd Lutheran Church in Olympia, where they were active members and served in youth and family ministry, building and grounds management, church leadership council, the quilters (Piece Corp) group, and the Sages.

Roy is survived by daughter Lorraine and her husband Todd Eckstein, his son Carl and his wife Stephanie, his son Glen and his Husband Jackson Friis. He is also survived by seven grandchildren: Kimberly Keeling, Erin Eckstein, Dylan Eckstein, Brenna Eckstein, Dana Eckstein, Tyler Friis and Lauren Friis and two great grandchildren, William and Zoe Keeling; and his sister Patricia Bamford Alles, and many nieces and nephews. Roy is preceded in death by his wife Jeanette, two brothers Paul and Robert (Bob) Bamford, birth parents Elin (Johnson) and William Bamford, and adopted parents Ellen and Ernest Friis.

A memorial service for Roy will be held Saturday, September 10, 2022 at 2:00 PM at GraceWorks Church, 7945 Steilacoom RD SE, Olympia, WA.