Wesley Dale Rolfe, 88, loving husband, father and grandfather died Sept. 19, 2017, at the Washington Veterans Home in Port Orchard, Wash.
Wesley was born Dec. 15, 1928, in Kalamazoo, Mich. to Lovell and Edith Rolfe. During World War II he joined the Merchant Marines and sailed around the world to bring supplies to allied forces.
Upon his return, he joined the U.S. Air Force. Wesley served at Fort Worden in Port Townsend, Wash. where he met the love of his life Gail Ferris. The two were married Sept. 17, 1951, in Puyallup, Wash. one week before Wesley deployed to the Korean War.
While on his way home, he contracted Japanese Encephalitis and Polio and was hospitalized in for three months before retraining and attaining the rank of Senior Master Sergeant. Wesley served his country with honor and distinction for 21 years before retiring to Puyallup, Wash. in 1967.
After his retirement from the military Wesley worked as a computer systems analyst for Wells Fargo until his retirement to Ocean Shores in 1991. While in ocean Shores he remained active as part of the Ocean Shores Crime Watch, playing bridge at the community clubhouse, preparing taxes at the library, attending the Jazz festival and traveling with their RV club all around the state.
Wesley and Gail moved to Montesano in 2005 where they remained until 2015 when he moved to the Washington State Veterans home in Retsil (Port Orchard), Wash.
Wesley loved sports and played basketball as a young man and enjoyed teaching his children and grandchildren to play and enjoy sports. He also enjoyed watching his favorite teams which included Michigan, Notre Dame, The Seattle Seahawks, The Seattle Mariners, and the Cardinals.
Wesley had a great sense of humor and his loving nature made him an amazing husband, father, grandfather, great-grandfather, and friend. His kindness was an inspiration to everyone that knew him. He loved others with his whole heart. The love he showed his family, especially his wife Gail, taught his family what it meant to love another person. Wesley always had a smile and a kind word for everyone he talked to.
Wesley is survived by his loving family that includes his wife of 66 years, Gail Rolfe, six children: Wesley (Charlene) Rolfe Jr. of Kent, Susan Rolfe of SeaTac, Nancy (Alan) Smith of Marble Falls, Texas, Steven (Katie) Rolfe of Vernel, Utah, Brenda (Jerry) Rolfe-Maloney of Elma, and Trish Rolfe of Kent; 11 grandchildren: David Rolfe-Maloney, Justin Rolfe-Maloney, Ashley Rolfe, Yari Rolfe-Maloney, Brynn Wiens, Dylan Simons, Lynnrae Smith, Jessica Rolfe, Olivia Rolfe, Amanda Whimple, and Emily Nelsen; nine great-grandchildren Trevor, Noah, Aleta, Jaxson, Carson, Aiden, Dasen, Shelbi, and Ryder; two sisters: Shirley Grant and Elaine Jordon of Kalamazoo, Mich. Wesley was preceded in death by his parents Lovell and Edith Rolfe, his sister Eunice Lee, and his beloved dog Max.
A celebration of Wesley’s life will be held at St. Marks Episcopal Church in Montesano, Wash. Saturday, Oct. 21, at 2 p.m. Father Dale McQueen officiating, with a reception to follow. Military honors will be observed. (Please feel free to wear your favorite sports team attire).
A message of condolence or a memory may be sent to the family in care of blrmy@comcast.net. Memorial donations can be made to the Washington State Veterans Home, 1141 Beach Drive E. Retsil, WA 98378 or The March of Dimes (Wesley was an ambassador for the March of Dimes after his polio diagnosis).
