Harold Eugene Dunlap Sept. 13, 1921 to November 25, 2013

After a long and fruitful life, Harold Eugene Dunlap died surrounded by family at the home of daughter Flora Long and son-in-law, Ken Long.

Raised on a homestead ranch in the foothills of Keller Butte prior to the building of the Grand Coulee Dam, Gene was very much a child of his era. Though very shy, he had the confident can-do and make-do of a rancher, while at the same time the the eye and precision of an engineer. Some of his handiwork still functions today.

One of Gene's earliest work experiences off the ranch was cutting and building the original rock walls above the dam at about the age of 16 for the CCC. 

His love of airplanes and motorcycles can be seen in early photos and letters, a love that never waned and was passed down to his offspring and grandkids.

Gene, who also went by Harold, missed a year of high school to care for his ailing mother, returning the following year to finish his diploma. 

His role as a loving son can be seen in his letters home from Norman, Okla., and San Diego, Calif., during his stint in the Navy as a naval mechanic. 

Gene began his military service, prior to enlisting with the Navy, with the Washington State Guard stationed in Mason City. 

After World War II was over, Gene was honorably discharged from the Navy with certification as an Aircraft Machinists Mate and he began his civilian career working for Alaska Airlines in Portland, Ore. 

He married Flora (Lally) Elizabeth Brim on May 29, 1949, in Elmer City in the home in which Flora grew up. 

In Portland, Gene and Flora lived with and cared for Flora's grandfather and started their family. Flora Lee and William Charles came along. About that time, Gene took a job with United Airlines in Seattle, Washington. He and Lally packed up the two kids and moved to South King County where three more children arrived, Philip Arnold, Kathryn Jean and Pamela Rae. 

There, Gene worked for over thirty years. He worked hard in those early lean years to feed and cloth his growing family as well as help take care of his aging father and uncle. He also repaired the family vehicles, TVs, radios and did house repairs. If he couldn't be found right away, it was known he'd be in the garage "tinkering." 

A favorite story demonstrates Gene's skill with engines:  About 1977, Gene prepared the family's '66 Opel Kadett for the youngest daughter to drive back to college after the holidays. The normal routine of checking the spark plugs, the timer, the oil, the gaps in the distributor and the tires were among the myriad checks a father makes for the safe use of the car. Especially for a vehicle that had been used by four of the five kids in the family. 

The daughter departed, but not long after leaving, the little red car began to run roughly and "buck." Stopping at her brother's home nearby, she called Gene to explain the situation. He drove over and after looking under the hood for about ten minutes, he came in asking for a standard D battery and a ball point pen. Puzzled, we asked him why. Gene replied that he needed the carbon from the battery and the spring from the pen to make a replacement for the carbon brush that had fallen from the distributor cap. The little car was fixed right up and drove fine for many more years.

Sometimes, with the rare spare time he had, Gene would work on the little two-seater airplane stored in the garage, that had a bent tail. He also worked on various small motorcycles that allowed all of his children learn to ride at a young age. The "toys" he bought and maintained for the kids included a small sailboat, a hang glider and ultralight airplanes.

Gene's ties with the homestead ranch were never severed, even though it became a place he was not fond of. However he knew how much it meant to his children and grandchildren and labored to keep it for them. For Gene, family was his ultimate joy and concern.

A celebration of life and a memorial flag raising is being planned for Memorial Day weekend.