Junior Prince, 92, passed away at home July 10, 2018, in Olympia, Wash., after a short illness. He was born Jan. 16, 1926, in the same house his dad was born, in the Skookumchuck Valley near Tenino, Wash. Soon afterwards, the family moved to his Grandpa Schnurstein’s farm east of Layton Prairie in Windom, until the family moved to Layton Prairie. The family moved to Toledo in 1933.
Junior spent his first two years of school attending a one room school house in Knab on Layton Prairie and completed his education in Toledo, graduating in 1947, following a two year gap due to military service. In 1941, entering his freshman year of high school, he met a young girl from Vader named Barbara Saarinen, who became the love of his life and partner until she passed away May 25, 2017, just 2 months shy of their 68th wedding anniversary.
In June 1944, at the age of 18, he was inducted into the United States Artillery at Fort Lewis then was transferred to Camp Roberts, Calif. Following basic training, his unit was shipped first to New Guinea and then to Leyte and Luzon in the Philippines. After the Armistice was signed in August 1945, the unit was shipped to Japan where he was stationed until he arrived home and was honorably discharged May 16, 1946, at Fort Lewis as a gunner corporal.
Lou graduated in the spring of 1947, from Toledo High School and in the fall, he enrolled at Spokane Trade School to learn automobile mechanics. He and Barbara were married July 29, 1949, at the Toledo Presbyterian Church. Professionally, Lou worked as a mechanic at Bud Faltico’s Service Station in Spokane until he and Barbara moved back to Vader, and then Olympia to be closer to family in 1954. He was hired by Whit Reading at State Motors where he continued to work until he opened Lou Prince Motor Service in 1964. In 1973, Doug Weddle persuaded Lou to come to work for him at the Tumwater Valley Golf Course where he stayed 17 years retiring in March 1990.
Retirement was a wonderful time for Lou and Barbara. In the spring of 1991, they purchased a house trailer and traveled to his beloved Seal Rock campground on Hood’s Canal, Yakima, for fruit, California for more fruit, Arizona for Mariner baseball and as far east as Michigan and west to Hawaii. He loved attending Cheese Days every July, he and Barbara would take their trailer to spend the weekend in Toledo catching up with family and friends. His best times though were when he was with his children and grandchildren.
A neighbor recently shared, “Lou was an incredible guy and a truly rare “one of a kind” friend. He was always there to lend a helping hand and inspiring words to myself his many friends. I can honestly say there was not a better person that I have ever known in my entire life!”
He is survived by his two daughters, Leah (Tony) Capili and Anne (Milton) Lau; nine grandchildren; and 16 great-grandchildren.
Junior was preceded in death by his beloved wife, Barbara Prince; parents, Louis L. Sr. and Minnie Prince; and brother, John Foron.
Services will be held Saturday, July 28, 2018, 2 p.m., at Fir Lawn Funeral Home, 351 5th St. N, Toledo, WA 98591, with a reception to follow at the Toledo Senior Center, 150 Coal Street, Toledo, WA 98591.
Memorial donations may be made to the Toledo High School Scholarship Fund or the Toledo Senior Center.
