Too Many Sad Goodbyes
The area has lost a lot of good people lately, including former Tenino track and cross country coach Gordy Robertson, and former Chronicle employees George Blomdahl and Chuck Wilfong.
I attended the celebration of life this past weekend for Robertson at the Tenino gym and, as far as funeral-type affair go, it was outstanding. Several people made moving tributes to one of the nicest guys I’ll know. One of his best athletes ever, Lori Fair, who was like a six-time state champion, gave a nice talk about the impact “Coachie” had on her and several other Beaver athletes like her. Beth Garson’s father opened his tribute by stating: “I raised two daughter’s with Gordy’s help.” And Hal Williams, a longtime (at least 40 years) friend of Robertson’s, opened with a touching, and humorous, eulogy.
But the best comments came from Ryan Robertson, who, as you all know, is the head boys basketball coach at W.F. West. He shared several humorous stories about his dad, and gave an emotional tribute to what his father meant to him. The courage and poise it took to make such a presentation is something Gordy would have been extremely proud of.
I’m sure I’m one of the few people at The Chonicle who remember George Blomdahl. Our careers overlapped here for about 10 years. He was a very good nuts-and-bolts type writer, and very well-liked by his sources. I remember him as a warm, caring man with a good sense of humor, and he always wore those bow ties. What many probably don’t know is how he nearly gave my assistant Mark Mansfield and I heart attacks. When George was here, our work spaces were in the same vicinity. While George was not a big man, I guarantee you, when he sneezed, it was like it came from a woolly mammoth. He had this high-pitched, deafening sneeze that would come without warning and make you jump about two feet from your chair. When you looked at him, he always excused himself with a shy smile. I’ll miss him.
And Chuck Wilfong I already spoke about in an earlier blog. He was another one-of-a-kind journalist who will be missed.
I attended the celebration of life this past weekend for Robertson at the Tenino gym and, as far as funeral-type affair go, it was outstanding. Several people made moving tributes to one of the nicest guys I’ll know. One of his best athletes ever, Lori Fair, who was like a six-time state champion, gave a nice talk about the impact “Coachie” had on her and several other Beaver athletes like her. Beth Garson’s father opened his tribute by stating: “I raised two daughter’s with Gordy’s help.” And Hal Williams, a longtime (at least 40 years) friend of Robertson’s, opened with a touching, and humorous, eulogy.
But the best comments came from Ryan Robertson, who, as you all know, is the head boys basketball coach at W.F. West. He shared several humorous stories about his dad, and gave an emotional tribute to what his father meant to him. The courage and poise it took to make such a presentation is something Gordy would have been extremely proud of.
I’m sure I’m one of the few people at The Chonicle who remember George Blomdahl. Our careers overlapped here for about 10 years. He was a very good nuts-and-bolts type writer, and very well-liked by his sources. I remember him as a warm, caring man with a good sense of humor, and he always wore those bow ties. What many probably don’t know is how he nearly gave my assistant Mark Mansfield and I heart attacks. When George was here, our work spaces were in the same vicinity. While George was not a big man, I guarantee you, when he sneezed, it was like it came from a woolly mammoth. He had this high-pitched, deafening sneeze that would come without warning and make you jump about two feet from your chair. When you looked at him, he always excused himself with a shy smile. I’ll miss him.
And Chuck Wilfong I already spoke about in an earlier blog. He was another one-of-a-kind journalist who will be missed.
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10:12 AM
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