Walter Gordon Oakes

Walter Gordon Oakes, Beloved husband, father, grandfather, great-grandfather, brother, uncle and friend passed away of natural causes on Saturday, November 25, 2023, in Issaquah, WA. Born in Olympia, WA on February 1, 1927, Walt lived a full life for 96 years. As the baby of 5 boys, Walt grew up in a three-room house with no running water, no electricity, and a wood burning stove to cook on and heat the home. From as young as he can recall, Walt pulled his weight to help maintain a 40-acre farm that raised chickens, goats, rabbits and dairy cows and grew timber and fruits and vegetables of every variety.

Walt’s father initially worked as an accountant and entrepreneur, but he found his freedom in farming despite the poor monetary return that working a grueling 365 days a year offered. The work was beyond strenuous, requiring brawn and brains all day, every day because each day presented a new set of challenges and problems to solve. But it had to be done to ensure the survival of his family. Drop for drop, Walt’s mom matched every ounce of sweat her husband and boys poured into the farm. Raised a city girl, Suzi transformed into the quintessential pioneer woman, growing, canning, butchering, marketing, selling, sewing, cooking, cleaning and doing it all over again the next day. Walt’s parents were a formidable force and inspired the man Walter would become.

Upon graduating from Olympia High School in 1944, Walt drifted between dreams of being a teacher like his brother, Earl, and mastering engine mechanics, until he followed in the footsteps of three of his older brothers who entered the military. Walt enlisted in the navy days before his 18th birthday and after several adventurous travels and assignments, Walt found great success in a fortuitous placement as the Second Class Motor Machinist, the engineer for the 3-Star Admiral’s boats in Pearl Harbor, HI. Despite several attractive offers to re-enlist, Walt returned to civilian life with an Honorable Discharge in December 1947.

With some encouragement from Earl, Walt took advantage of the G.I. Bill and launched what felt most natural -- engineering studies at the College of Puget Sound, transferring later to Seattle University where he received his Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering. No surprise there. . . Combine the improvising and innovating his parents demonstrated daily to make a life on a farm, along with dismantling every engine Walt could get his teenage hands onto, and then managing the mechanics of a motor pool while in the military, everything Walt lived and breathed wired him to become a mechanical engineer.

While at Seattle U, Walt met the love of his life, Jeanne, and the two were married November 27, 1954. Walt and Jeanne settled in Bellevue, where they raised four children. Just like his own parents, Walt and Jeanne made a great team and worked hard to provide for their family. Incidentally, they were among the original 700 parishioners that opened St. Louise Catholic Church in 1961. Walt commuted from the Eastside to Georgetown, Tulalip and even to Boardman, Oregon for a period of time in the 70’s. For 40 years, Boeing benefited from Walt’s brilliant engineering mind. Walt tackled his first assignment working on the B-52 Pneumatics Design Project and spent the better part of his impressive career divided between the Commercial Airplane Division and the Aerospace Division. Over the course of his career he continued to advance from line engineer to lead engineer to supervisor, directing research and running tests that experimented with all components in the propulsion system of all the vehicles that Boeing designed or produced for the 707, 747, 767, and 777 lines.

Walt enjoyed life outside of work, especially those activities that allowed him to continue using his mind and his hands. He was Scoutmaster for Troop 641 at St. Louise Parish where he volunteered his time and varied talents for several years; he also hunted and loved fishing and generally anything that took him outdoors. He and Jeanne spent their golden years traveling to Slovenia to meet some of Jeanne’s Pompe family, touring Rome with the St. Louise Choir, returning to Hawai’i to visit family and cruising the Puget Sound on summer days in their boat. With Jeanne by his side, Walt spent his best days using the skills and ingenuity he absorbed growing up on a farm to renovate a crusty old cabin into a sturdy, humble, charming gathering place for family and friends. For 40 years, the cabin became Walt’s work away from work . . . and in the best of ways. Projects spanned everything from installing two 24-foot plywood and lumber beams that he designed and fabricated to support the roof at the rafters midspan with 3 foot snow load, to upgrading the ceiling interior with tongue and groove cedar, to building docks, a boathouse and a wrap-around deck. Walt would want an honorable mention for the outhouse upgrade, a sentimental connection to his farming past. In later years, smaller projects kept him resolving unfinished tasks, repurposing and recycling materials, and puttering around with purpose as he and Jeanne continued elevating and refining the cabin he built from foundation to fascia. Walt would tell you:“the worst day working at the cabin is still better than the best day working at Boeing” (and he enjoyed his Boeing work). But the best day of all, was any day he spent with Jeanne . . . and even better if family joined them.

Walt is survived by his children: Gordon, Greg, Gary, and Pam, along with their spouses: Debbie, Gina, Doreen, and Raul; by his eight grandchildren: Jennifer, Kristin, Bethany, Jonathan, Julie, Emily, Daviana and Kanoa; and by 10 great-grandchildren: Ella, Keegan, Finley, Ashlynn, Zanna, Ari, Avery, Toby, Kaeden, and Braelyn. Walt is preceded in death by his beloved wife, Jeanne, his parents: Suzi and Wilbur Oakes; the Oakes brothers: Maxwell, Earl, Howard, and Don, and by his great-granddaughter, Taryn.

Walt’s life will be celebrated on Thursday December 21, 2023, at 11 am at St. Louise Parish in Bellevue. A reception will follow. A viewing and rosary will precede the funeral mass between 10:15 and 10:45. Walt will be laid to rest on Thursday December 28th at Sunset Memorial Park. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to the Museum of Flight or to Boys Town.