During the afternoon of October 22, 1922, a small two year old boy tried to follow his dad away from their farm home in Alberta and was lost.  Over two hundred people from neighboring towns searched through the cold night.  Early the next morning, someone found the faint trace of the boy’s stick horse and followed it to the edge of a small stream where he was found messy and cold but otherwise unharmed.  Thanks to the persistence of those kind searchers, Zane Carey was able to lead a full life, and passed away on April 24th 2015. 

Zane was born on June 8, 1920 to Earl and Etta Carey near Hardisty, Alberta, Canada.  He was joined two years later by sister Zeta.  They grew up in Alberta where they went to school in a one room schoolhouse.  In 1932, their father was killed when his team of horses ran away with him.  A strong and dedicated mother carried on so they could finish school.  Zane finished high school in 1937, after working several jobs to assist the family including writing news articles for the local newspaper which proved his talent for writing and caused him to aspire to a career in journalism.  

The family moved to Yakima where Zane attended Yakima Community College.  He then started at the University of Washington thinking he would major in journalism, but went to work in Connell for the Bureau of Reclamation in a topographic survey of the Columbia River Basin.  After transferring to the Bureau of Plant Quarantine and Entomology in 1941, he was able to enter the civilian pilot program and got his wings as a private pilot in July, 1941.  He returned to school, discovered a passion for chemistry, and received his B.S. Degree in Chemical Engineering from the University of Washington in June, 1943.
 

Like so many young American heroes that year, Zane joined the United States Naval Reserve where he was assigned to night torpedo bomber squadron, VTN 90, as a radar navigator, sitting between the pilot and copilot on the plane operating the navigating equipment.  The squadron flew off the USS Enterprise providing coverage at night during the Philippine, Iwo Jima, Okinawa and early Japan strikes. Imagine trying to land a plane on the deck of an aircraft carrier at night in those times. Zane was one of the lucky ones of all the courageous young men of that generation who united to defend the United States under such daunting circumstances and he returned unharmed to the United States in June 1945 after a kamikaze disabled the ship.

During early 1946 while stationed at Key West he met a very attractive WAVE from Kentucky who had the same last name as Zane.  She was Evelyn Carey or Lynne, as she came to be known.  After a nine month romance during which they were usually stationed at different bases, they were married on September 15, 1946 in Yakima, WA. Zane loved Lynne dearly during their 58 year marriage, which only ended after her sudden death in 2004
 

Zane and Lynne moved to Seattle and Zane earned his Master’s Degree in Chemical Engineering from the University of Washington in 1949.  He also eventually completed all of the course work toward a PhD in Chemical Engineering.  Zane and Lynne moved to Richland in 1949 where Zane began work in radiochemistry and they continued to grow their family.  Zane and Lynne developed many close friendships and loved living in the Tri-Cities.  They never wanted to live anywhere else. 

Zane spent 36 years in a varied career in management and administrative positions at Hanford, and he and Lynne had three more children in Richland to add to the son they had while living in Seattle.  They were charter members of the Northwest United Protestant Church in Richland, and started, with friends, one of the oldest continuously running bridge clubs in the country.  They eventually became one of the first families to build a home on the Columbia River in north Richland near the old Ferry Road.  They spent many years raising their family and enjoying life on the river. 

 

Zane concluded his career with Boeing, and was named employee of the year in 1984.  He retired in 1985.  Lynne joined Zane in his retirement after spending many fulfilling years as a homemaker and then an employee and manager at a local retail store. 

Zane and Lynne spent over 19 years in retirement enjoying their extended family, travel, volunteer work and support of their church and Richland Central Lions.  They enjoyed several cruises, and travel to Mexico, New Zealand, Australia and Canada.  Lynne died suddenly on July 23, 2004.  Zane and his family were devastated, but Zane, demonstrating his lifelong strength and faith, continued on trying to make the most of life without his beloved Lynne.

 Zane continued to volunteer as a charter member of Richland Central Lions, serving in various offices for over 35 years.  He received the Melvin Jones award, the highest individual award of the Lions.  Zane also loved golf, fishing and bridge and enjoyed them throughout his retirement.

In 2006, Zane and Bonnie Brown renewed an old friendship begun in 1941, and Bonnie and Zane became close and dear friends until her death in 2014. 

 Zane is survived by 2 sons, 2 daughters and their spouses:  Doug and Darleen, of Newport, WA, Dwight and Patty in Richland, Linda and Blane Johnson at Lake Tahoe, and Lissa and Jeff Holiway, in Star, ID.  There are also 11 grandchildren, 4 great grandchildren and a large number of nieces and nephews, all of whom were loved dearly by Zane.  Zane was preceded in death by Lynne, by his mother and dad, Earl and Etta Carey and by his sister and her husband, Zeta and Jim Lindekuga

 

A celebration of Zane’s life will be held at 5:30 p.m. at the Event Center at Sunset Gardens, 915 Bypass Highway, Richland, WA, with a reception immediately following.

Zane was a dedicated member of the Northwest United Protestant Church for 65 years.  In lieu of flowers, the family suggests donations in Zane’s name to the World Outreach Fund of the Northwest United Protestant Church, 1312 Sacramento Blvd., Richland, WA  99354.