Dan Crisp was born on May 9, 1937, to Melvin and Vera Crisp in Aberdeen, Washington. He graduated from Wishkah Valley High School and went into the Navy at that time. He passed away peacefully on Dec. 27, 2019, at Grays Harbor Community Hospital with his wife and stepson, Michael, by his side.
Dan is preceded in death by his father Melvin, mother Vera, sister Bonnie, brother Jim, daughters Suzanne and Sheila, and granddaughter Joanne. He is survived by his wife, Cynthia, two stepsons, Michael and Matthew Cleland, daughter-in-law Cathy and a grandson Robbie Crisp, along with several nieces and nephews.
Dan served in the Navy as an air traffic controller at North Island at San Diego, California. When he got out of the service he was an air traffic controller for a while at what is now SEATAC.
Later he went to work for the Grays Harbor Sheriff’s Office, where he was the resident deputy at the beach. Dan retired from the Grays Harbor Sheriff’s Office in 1986. Dan loved his work so much that he always was looking out for those in need. When he was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s, toward the end, the only thing besides being in the Navy that was constantly part of his daily and nightly routine was to check beds, doors and escort residents to their rooms at home and at Riverside. Always on duty as he would tell his nurses and the staff at Riverside. He gave out tickets to speeders. I guess in their wheel chairs. Who knows. That was his reality.
After retiring, Dan and his wife started a computer store in Aberdeen called Computer Advanced Technology located on Wishkah and I streets. Later Dan and his wife and sons moved to Bremerton. The computer store went with them. In 1995, Dan had a four-way bypass. The computer business had to close as it became to much for him to manage. His wife was working at Olympic College, where eventually Dan became employed as, you guessed it, a security guard. He continued to work there until his wife retired from Olympic College.
His next journey was spending the next 15 years going to Yuma, Arizona, for the winter. His wife worked for Friendly Acres RV Park, where they spent their winters. Dan started a computer club to help and assist those residents with their computers. He loved the weather, shuffle boarding, helping other residents and just being a friend. Dan received many trophies while playing shuffle board.
Dan loved to ride and in his earlier years race motorcycles, fly airplanes, snow mobile, river raft, play cards and travel with his wife and sons.
A private internment will take place at Wynooche Cemetery.
There will be a celebration of life for Dan at the Montesano Presbyterian Church at 1 p.m. on Jan. 18, 2020. A reception will follow at the church.
In lieu of flowers, the family suggests memorial contributions be made to this wonderful organization that does so much for the Grays Harbor communities to include scholarships, shopping with a cop and much more. Grays Harbor Deputy Sheriff Association, PO Box 589, Montesano, WA 98563 or to the Montesano Presbyterian Church, 201 E McBryde Avenue, Montesano, Wa 98563.
