George L. Farmer

George L. Farmer, a man that considered the Grand Coulee Dam area his lifetime home, lost a long, hard argument with Alzheimer’s and left peacefully for bass fishing in Heaven on December 14, 2011. He was 79.

His last home was an Adult Family Home in Moses Lake, Wash., where he was very well cared for all day, every day.

He leaves behind his wonderful wife, Marie, a son, Robert, two daughters, JoAnn and Margaret; two granddaughters, Jinger and Jill; grandson, Calen and a great-grandson, Preston

He was preceded in death by his father, Robin Farmer, his mother, Winnefred Bottorff, and his only sibling, JoAnn Bjorklund.

He will be interred in his cremation plot at Spring Canyon Cemetery on Saturday, March 10, at 11 a.m. with an open house to follow at the home of Robert Farmer at 126 Williams Street in Electric City from noon to 3 p.m. Anyone that would like to stop by is welcome.

George was born in Tacoma, Wash., on September 24, 1932. He grew up in the Electric City area and lost his dad in a fishing accident on Banks Lake when he was 14. His mother retired as a teacher in the Grand Coulee Dam Schools.

George joined the Navy traveled the world, and retired a 20-year veteran in 1971. He spent over 8 years stationed in Japan where he met and married his wife Marie Sachiko Sato. They were married in April of 1958. Their first child was born while still in Japan. His son Robert was born in Bremerton, Wash., where he was stationed when he returned to the United States. He soon moved his family to the Electric City area to be near his own family and was deployed to Vietnam. His youngest child Margaret was born in San Diego, Calif., where he was stationed for a couple of years before he retired.

He was a shopkeeper in the Navy. That shopkeeper mentality never left George. George subsequently worked at Wright Chevrolet in the parts department and then Coulee Hardware for years before he opened his own “George’s Tackle” in Electric City.

George’s Tackle was a place where any fisherman, or anyone - could stop and visit.

He totally retired in 1997 when he closed the doors to the tackle shop and hoped to spend his time doing his favorite things - fishing on Banks Lake and woodworking in his amply stocked workshop. George could never buy just one of anything. He built many things and his granddaughters have good memories of making things in the shop with Grandpa.

His wife Marie will remain in their home in Moses Lake, at 3072 Valley Road.

His family would like to thank everyone for their kind thoughts and prayers.

We would also like to give a huge thanks for Willard Rinker and his wife Sharon for visiting Dad, no matter where he lived and no matter if he knew them or not. You were the truest of his friends.