Jesse Arnold Whaley Jr.'s Obituary
Jesse Whaley, Jr. passed away at Aegis of Kent on May 15, 2015. He was born on December 28, 1928, to Jesse (Sr.) and Bertha Whaley in East Greenwich, Rhode Island. He graduated from North Kingstown High School in Wickford, Rhode Island. Jesse served 6 years in the U.S. Air Force. During his tour at McChord AFB, he met and married Mabel, his wife of 46 years.
Jesse’s career in the airline industry spanned over 44 years. He worked for Boeing, Republic Airlines and its predecessors and Alaska Airlines, where he was named Shop Mechanic of the year for l990.
Jesse was a volunteer firefighter for Des Moines Fire District #26 for 25 years. He also served as a Commissioner for 25 years, 17 of which he was the Chairman of the Board of Commissioners. He was a past president of the King County Fire Commissioners Association. He also served as the first president of Highline Medic 1.
He attended Grace Lutheran Church, was a member for over 60 years of the Mason Lodge, the Des Moines Odd Fellows, and Past President of the Des Moines Historical Society. He was a dedicated, tireless volunteer for these organizations, donating countless hours, including maintaining and improving facilities.
Jesse was a handy man at heart and was always happy to help on any project that called for his hard work and confidence that nothing was broken beyond repair. He took great pride in building a waterfront cabin in Grapeview, WA that served host to many happy gatherings with family and friends. He loved music, community festivals, gardening, antique tractors and classic cars.
He was preceded in death by his parents, wife Mabel, and brothers David and Charles. He is survived by his son Robert (Roberta) Whaley, daughter Diane (Steve) Hartley, grandchildren Natalie Whaley and Charlotte Joseph, great- granddaughter Evangeline Joseph, brothers Richard (Carol) Whaley and Donald (Carol) Whaley.
There will be a celebration of Jesse’s life on May 21st at 3pm at Grace Lutheran Church in Des Moines, followed by a reception at the Des Moines Odd Fellows Lodge. Memorials may be made to the Historical Society of Des Moines: PO Box 98055, Des Moines, WA 98198.
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