LONNIE DAY
January 21, 2020
Lonnie passed away on Tuesday, January 21, 2020, from non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma. He was born in Lewiston, ID, August 13, 1941, the eldest of 5 children. He grew up in a simpler time of long summer days of swimming in the river, hunting, fishing, trapping and gem & mineral gathering with the family. His teen years were in the era of “Happy Days” filled with his 1932 Deuce coupe, athletics, of which he was a 4 sport varsity letter earner including championships in discus & shotput. His favorite sports were baseball & football.
He started working at a young age driving construction trucks at 12 years old. He worked as a sawyer in the woods, as a millpond log worker in Elk City, then at 17 at PFI on the chain gang.
After graduation in 1961 from Lewiston High School he went to Spokane Skill Trades school to become a journeyman sheet metal worker. During the 4 years of apprenticeship he met future wife Joanne Kimmel. Lonnie earned his journeyman status on September 18, 1967 at a time when minimum wage was $1.40 per hour. In 1965 daughter Michele was born, then followed by sons Ken and Jack in 1968 and 1970.
Lonnie and Joanne lived in Spokane Valley in 1968, buying a house on Progress Rd., then moving to Vercler Street in 1970 – where they joined Good Shepherd Lutheran church where Neal Buckaloo was the Pastor. In 1978 they moved to Veradale where he & Joanne lived until 2012, then they moved to Seven Bays.
Lonnie had a passion for hunting and fast cars. He loved camping & fishing at many lakes in WA & ID, especially Newman, Priest & Payette Lakes. He was known for playing softball and hitting balls over the trees, fences, and out at local parks. He also taught himself to water and snow ski as an adult. But his favorite times were always driving the boat, pulling everyone, especially the kids and grandkids waterskiing and tubing.
One of his hidden talents was that he was also an artist – in wood, metal, jewelry or pen & paper. He also loved flowers and gardening and Christmas lights.
He made friends wherever he went. He is survived by his wife Joanne, daughter Michele Day Turner (Wes), sons Kenneth Stanley Day (Joanna), Jack Daniel Day (Lisa), grandsons Zachary & Kenneth Day Jr. and granddaughters Kristina, Andrea & Elaina Day. He is also survived by sisters Dollie (Lee) Crawford and Susan Segura and a brother Patrick Day. Lonnie was preceded in death by his parents Stanley & Mary Kathleen Day.
Services were held Saturday, January 25, 2020, at Christ Lutheran Church in Davenport Washington.