Harry C. Morley

June 12, 1937 – March 25, 2020

Harry C. Morley, 82, passed away on Wednesday, March 25, 2020, in Centralia, Washington.

Harry was born in Wenatchee, Washington on June 12, 1937, to Donald and Martha (Norton) Morley. The oldest of four children, he lived in Cashmere until the family moved to Ephrata, then Wilson Creek, in 1950. He called that area home until he moved to the “wet side” in the fall of 2019 to be closer to family.

Harry knew early on that he wanted to be a mechanic. He started working at the Wilson Creek Garage when he was 15, and after graduating from Wilson Creek High School in 1955, he continued at the garage until he joined the Coast Guard in 1959. He served as a Radioman 2 until he was honorably discharged in 1963. He then worked as a mechanic at Banks Lake Sales and Service in Coulee City until he got on with the Washington State Department of Transportation in 1968. He spent his entire career with the state at the Ephrata shop before retiring as lead mechanic in 1995. While with WSDOT he received several safety awards and was recognized for maintaining the shop with the highest equipment availability and smallest repair budget in the state, something he took great pride in.

Harry met Kathleen Baier in May 1966 and there was no looking back – they were married five months later, on Oct. 22, 1966. They started a family in 1970 and in 1972 they moved to Wilson Creek. In 1977 the family moved out of the big city of Wilson Creek to just south of Stratford. There he and Katy built the place that he loved best – the oasis of green in the desert landscape – with his shop, shooting range and back porch – where he could smell the sagebrush and hear the meadowlarks sing.

Many people will remember Harry for arthritis-ravaged hands, the result of rheumatoid arthritis. Despite his body turning against him, he loved working with his hands, and did so for decades past what his doctors predicted – a testament to his stubbornness and determination. Besides his work as a mechanic, he enjoyed woodworking, shooting and reloading, and was an avid outdoorsman who taught his daughters to hunt and fish and to enjoy the outdoors. Harry was a dog lover, a storyteller, a debater-of-everything, and resident expert on anything – just ask him! He was dedicated to his community and through the years served on the school board, the fire department, the city council, and the Legion. He was a lifetime member of the American Legion and the National Rifle Association.

In retirement he and Katy enjoyed traveling to Montana to hunt prairie dogs, the annual “Dirtfest” camping weekend in their backyard, and many trips “over the pass” to visit the kids and grandkids. At home, if he wasn’t puttering around the yard, or working in his shop, he could often be found having coffee at “the store” in town – sharing stories and stirring up trouble with friends old and new.

Harry leaves behind his wife of 53 years, Kathleen; daughters Sarah (Mike) Selstrom of Centralia and Martha (Ben) Miller of Bonney Lake; grandchildren Madison Phillips, Broc and Kolby Selstrom and Ryan and Darby Miller; sisters Marilyn Schwartz and Gayle Wilson; sister-in-law Mary Morley and numerous nieces and nephews. He also leaves many friends and neighbors in the Wilson Creek area. He was preceded in death by his parents and his brother Don Morley.

We will miss him so, but we know he’s pulled up a chair and is drinking coffee and telling stories with lifelong friends Claude Pearce, Terry Trexler, Al McCoy and his brother.

At his request, there will be no service. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to HelpFightRA.org or DonateNRA.org.