Keith Wallace “Wally” Greager

10/05/1927 — 04/17/2016

From Kennewick, Washington | Born in Bessemer, Michigan

Keith Wallace “Wally” Greager

Keith Wallace “Wally” Greager

K.W. Greager, Wally to those who knew him, passed away April 17, 2016.

Wally was born on October 5, 1927, in Bessemer, Michigan, the only child of Oswald and Gladyce Greager.  Because his father was in the military, he lived in different places growing up:  he attended elementary school in Wilmington, Delaware and high school in Oak Ridge, Tennessee and for a brief time at Columbia High School in Richland.

  He joined the Marines in January 1945 at age 17 and was originally stationed in California after completing basic training in San Diego.  He was then stationed at Camp Pendleton before being discharged later that year when the war ended.  His appreciation for jazz began during his time in the military—he enjoyed going to shows in downtown San Diego.

After the Marines he returned to the Richland area and worked to dismantle the town of Hanford.  He also spent some time living and working on his grandfather’s ranch in Colorado and attending college in Fort Collins before returning to Richland. It was at that time he met Geneva O’Neil.  They were married September 9, 1950, and soon moved to Cheney so that Wally could earn a business degree at Eastern Washington College of Education.  They spent their first couple months of “wedded bliss” in an 18-foot trailer that was a block from the nearest bathroom and shower.  Fortunately, married housing opened up in Hudson Hall where they lived until Wally’s graduation in 1951.

Wally and Gen moved back to the Tri-Cities where Wally began working for the first of many companies who employed him over 40 years including General Electric, UNC Nuclear Industries, Westinghouse, and the Washington Public Power Supply System.  The job he enjoyed most during those years was traveling to colleges around the country to recruit graduates.

Wally was probably happiest while living on the Greager Ranch, five and a half acres along the Yakima River in West Richland.  He raised cattle for beef, but mostly as a hobby, and introduced his children to the joys of raising calves, sheep, rabbits, and even a goat.  He was a cowboy at heart and for many years kept a horse or two, and later a pony that was gentle enough for even the most timid to ride.  However, he may have met his match with the kids’ stubborn Shetland pony that had the audacity to buck him off (that one headed to the auction within days of the incident). 

          No summer day was complete without seeing Wally in his swim trunks and knee-high rubber boots moving sprinkler pipe.  And no summer vacation would be complete without him taking a whirl around the lake on his slalom ski—a feat that awed his children then and still does today.

          Wally is survived by his wife Gen; sons Eric (Gail), Tim (Serena), and Tony (Kaye); daughter Lisa Woehle (Nick); grandchildren Shaun, Andrew, Ryan, Amanda, Brittany, Anna, and Kevin; and great-grandchildren Natalie and Zoey, plus two more on the way.

          The family would like to thank the staff of Parkview Estates and Tri-Cities Hospice for their kindness and loving care during this difficult time.

There will be a graveside service at Sunset Memorial Gardens.  In lieu of flowers, please make a donation in Wally’s name to the Tri-Cities Chaplaincy.

 

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