Delbert Whitish

Delbert was born on the family farm in Plentywood, Montana to Harry & Hermie Whitish on Nov. 24th 1927. He attended a country school, riding horseback to school or a sleigh in winter. The family moved to Yakima, Washington in 1937. Del enlisted in the U.S. Navy in 1944 on his 17th birthday. He served in the Pacific for two & a half years during WW2. He received the Philippine Liberation Medal, and then was released to inactive duty. He returned to Yakima where he met his wife Marcella. They were married on June 7th 1947 and their first son Tom was born in 1950. In October, 1951 he was called back to active duty for the Korean War, serving at Barbers Point Naval Station in Hawaii. Marcella and son Tom were able to join him in Honolulu, where they lived until his release in May, 1952. They had many good times there, inviting lonely sailors over for weekend barbeques. Del and Marcella enjoyed walking the white sandy beach with their son Tom while gazing out over the blue waters of the ocean. They returned to Seattle, where he worked as a machinist for Boeing for a year. Del then drove truck for Lee & Eastes for 2 years before he joined Sears & Roebuck. They returned to Yakima, where he went to work for the Washington State Highway Department, driving a snow plow in the winter and highway maintenance during the summer until his retirement in 1989. Del enjoyed camping with his family, and after retirement, traveling with Marcella in their motor home in which they covered many miles, both in the U.S. and Canada. He was very proud to be a U.S. veteran, and always received excellent care at the VA Hospital in Seattle. He is survived by his wife Marcella, 5 children, Tom & Nanci Whitish of Puyallup, Linda & Tom Yeager of Ellensburg, Pamela & Leonard Wells of Arizona, Larry Whitish of Yakima, and Diane Whitish of Yakima. He also has 7 grandchildren and 8 great grandchildren, and a brother, Harold Whitish of Kent, Wash. He was preceded in death by his parents, Harry & Hermie, 2 sisters and 2 brothers. A Memorial Service will be held on Saturday, January 10th at 10 am at Valley Hills Funeral Home, 2600 Business Lane off Keys Rd. in Terrace Heights. In lieu of flowers tributes may be made to Friends of VA Puget Sound Fisher House, PO Box 18253, Seattle, WA 98118, or St. Vincent de Paul Society of Yakima. Online condolences may be left at www.valleyhillsfh.com. To order memorial trees or send flowers to the family in memory of Delbert Whitish, please visit our flower store.