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Barrie Douglas Lunstroth
September 11, 1943 - March 27, 2015
Private Services
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Barrie Douglas Lunstroth went to heaven on March 27, 2015 at home surrounded by his family. He battled pancreatic and liver cancer for nearly a year with courage, grace and humor.
Barrie was born on September 11, 1943 in Victoria, British Columbia, Canada. As a young boy, he became a naturalized US citizen when he and his mother moved to the states. He attended schools in Snoqualmie Falls and North Bend, WA graduating from Mt. Si High School in 1962. He joined the US Navy Reserve in 1960 while in high school. After graduating, he served two years active duty (1962-1964) aboard the aircraft carrier USS Bon Homme Richard. He served in the reserves until 1967. Barrie loved his years in the Navy.
He married Joyce Ritchie on May 20, 1966 and raised two children, Melissa and Jason. Barrie was very active in his children’s lives attending all their activities. He loved being a dad and later a grandfather spending time with his children and grandchildren, teaching them and just having fun.
He attended Yakima Valley College majoring in computer science. He worked for the Department of Social and Health Services for 26 years. He started as a computer programmer and worked his way through a series of technology positions. He retired at the age of 50 as Office Chief in the Office of Information Services.
Barrie enjoyed being retired – it gave him more time to spend with his family. His hobbies were stamp and coin collecting, bowling and sailing. Barrie bowled in a league at West Side Lanes for 20 years with his long-time best friend, Willard Kessel. He enjoyed taking walks on the nature trail at Millersylvania Park, riding his bicycle and he loved being on the water. He co-owned a 24 foot sailboat with his friend Don Dinsmore for several years and loved sailing. He enjoyed his Thursday lunches with his friend of over 40 years, Willard Kessel and his occasional afternoon and evenings out with his friend Don Dinsmore. He liked many kinds of music – his favorites were country, especially “the old stuff”, Cajun, 50’s rock and roll and bagpipe music. He liked country way back “when country wasn’t cool”. He played the guitar and the piano for his own enjoyment.
Barrie helped many people out financially over the years. He volunteered at the Thurston-Mason Crisis Clinic and the Olympia Harbor Patrol.
Barrie was a family man. He was a loving husband, father, grandfather and uncle. He loved animals and children. He has a great sense of humor and loved to tell jokes. He had a large notebook of jokes he collected over the years.
He is survived by his wife, Joyce, daughter Melissa Lunstroth and her longtime partner Ricke Smith; his son Jason Lunstroth and his wife Denise and grandchildren Makenzie Lunstroth and Lane Randolph. Barrie will be remembered as a loving, kind, generous, funny, gentle man who loved his family.
A private family graveside service will be held. The family suggests that in lieu of flowers, donations be made in Barrie’s name to the Union Gospel Mission, POB 7668, Olympia, WA 98507 or The Salvation Army, PO Box 173, Olympia, WA 98507.