Halford Jack Tye

Halford (Hal) Jack Tye 3/31/35 to 10/25/13 Between the numbers and forward slash marks that record the dates we enter and leave this planet, is the relatively small, yet hugely significant, word "to." Captured within it is all that is of any consequence: what we did, how and where we lived, whom we loved, and most importantly, why we mattered. Hal Tye was born in Rosalia, Washington in 1935. The oldest of three sons, his family moved to Port Angeles in 1947 where his mother Velma worked as teacher, and father Bill farmed the family acreage. After graduating from Port Angeles High School in 1953, Hal returned to the Palouse. He attended Washington State University, was a member of the AKL fraternity, and developed a life long devotion to the Cougs. He graduated in 1958 with a Bachelor of Science degree in agricultural economics. In 1960, Hal married Karen Y. Thompson in Yakima, Washington. They spent their honeymoon in a red Volkswagon bug traveling the Alkan highway, on their way to Alaska. There, Hal began a new career with the Alaska Department of Agriculture. Their oldest daughter Kym, was born there in 1961. In 1962, the family reversed their trip heading back to Washington State in the same red bug. Hal went to work for the JR Simplot Company in Sunnyside, Washington in 1963. Daughter Krista was born in 1964, and the family moved to a small farm. They enjoyed gardening, growing strawberries, and raising bum lambs and calves. Hal quickly moved from salesman to manager and enjoyed multiple promotions, moving the family from Sunnyside to Pocatello, Idaho just after daughter Jill was born in 1968. From Pocatello, the family moved to Boise, before settling in Yakima, Washington where Hal ended his career in 1991 as the district manager of the Yakima and Willamette valleys. Hal and Karen retired to Allyn, Washington. They enjoyed building and living in a lakefront home, before moving to Vancouver in 2007. In between having daughters and being a valued, successful company leader, Hal lived. He loved his wife of 53 years, enjoyed her gourmet cooking, and turned off the lights every time she left the room. He loved to travel, took amazing photographs, fished, crabbed, watched football games, camped, attended church, gardened, and invested. Hal volunteered; he belonged to the Lions Club, Beautiful Savior Lutheran Church Free Lunch Program, and served as a Master Gardner. Hal loved dogsYogi was the son he never had. He enjoyed a friendly competition with his brothers (Cliff and Gary Tye), and partnered with his friends in the purchase of Ross Lake Resort, he served as president for twenty years. He read, learned the latest technology, and enjoyed country music. Hal adored his grandchildren (Tyeson, Brooke, Jacob, Brooklyn, Sondra, Jenna, Jackson, and Cooper), and was constantly delighted by his great-granddaughter Gwenne. But most importantly, Hal loved. Constantly. Unconditionally. Always. He was a perpetual, positive presence in the lives of those he touched. He never said a bad thing about any human being, and truly believed that 99% of the things you worry about never happen. Our father, by his own admission, lived a good life. He had a tremendously positive impact on the lives of others. Hal Tye was a great man. He will be missed, but never forgotten. A memorial service for Hal will be held on Saturday, Nov. 2nd at 1:30 in the afternoon at Beautiful Savior Lutheran Church in Vancouver, Washington, followed by a Cougar tailgate at the Tye home. Please join us, sporting your crimson and gray and WSU gear. In lieu of flowers, please make a contribution to WSU Alumni Association, Beautiful Savior Lutheran Church Free Lunch Program, or Lion's Club. "A society grows great when old men plant trees whose shade they know they shall never sit in." -Greek Proverb

Halford Jack Tye

March 31, 1935 - October 25, 2013