Eugene Gandy

Eugene Neil Gandy, Sr. Obituary Eugene Gandy, Sr. passed away peacefully on November 19, 2021 in Yakima at the age of 95. Gene was born May 20, 1926 to Martha Feris and Amos William Gandy, in Hazelton, Idaho. Shortly after his birth, his parents moved to southern Oregon, where much of his family found work in logging. He graduated from Klamath Falls High School in 1943. Gene enlisted in the US Navy and entered V-5 pre-flight training at Willamette University. The program closed the following year and he transferred to the Navy ROTC program at the University of Washington, where he also joined Theta Chi fraternity. During college, Gene competed as a Golden Gloves boxer for the Navy Fleet. He was discharged from the navy in 1946 and earned a BA in Economics and Business in 1948. In 1949, Gene joined the naval reserves, transferring to retired ready reserves in 1966. His first marriage, to Patricia Dickinson of Klamath Falls, was short-lived. Following college, he moved to Yakima, where he met his wife of 35 years, Janice Derby. They married in 1950 and raised their three children in Yakima. A third marriage, to Virginia Torbert in 1993, also ended in divorce, in 2013. Gene worked in sales throughout his career, selling industrial paint for Derby Paint Company of Seattle and cars for Yakima dealerships. He and Jan both earned real estate brokers licenses in 1961 and worked briefly together as Gandy and Gandy Realty. He later served as President of the Yakima Board of Realtors. Gene fulfilled his dream to become a pilot, obtaining a private pilot’s license in 1951. He enjoyed the outdoors and took long drives in his beloved Pacific Northwest, even into his nineties. Gene Gandy’s parents, younger brother Amos William Gandy, Jr., and former wife Janice Buechmann, preceded him in death. He leaves behind sons Eugene Gandy, Jr. (Sheryl Watson) and Max Gandy (Christine), daughter Shawna Gandy (Stephen Walton), 10 grandchildren and 12 great-grandchildren. The family is grateful for the kindness and care provided by Heartlinks Hospice and his case coordinator at the VA, which brought us all comfort in his final days following a prolonged hospitalization. In lieu of flowers please make donations to your local Meal on Wheels organization. To order memorial trees or send flowers to the family in memory of Eugene Gandy, please visit our flower store.