Darrell Russell Hanks

On May 13, 2015, in Tacoma, Washington, Darrell Russell Hanks passed peacefully following a battle with Alzheimer's. He waited until his wife, children, and grandchildren were able to say goodbye and then he quietly breathed his last. During his life he did his best to honor God, love his wife, and train his sons to do the same.

Born in Southwick, Idaho, on May 20, 1936, to Wilmer and Nadine (McCoy) Hanks, he grew up with five brothers. He graduated from Lewiston High School, attended the University of Idaho and worked in the mill in Lewiston, Idaho. In 1958 he moved to the Seattle area, took a job at Boeing, and met his future wife Patricia Olson. In 1959 they were married, and over the years had three sons. In the mid-1970s, when Boeing went through a series of layoffs, he studied to be a computer programmer and took a job with Blue Cross. He and Pat then moved the family to Poulsbo, Washington, where he eventually took a job with EDS. In Poulsbo they joined Liberty Bay Presbyterian Church, where he first became a Deacon and then an Elder and Clerk of the Session. His pastor from those early days at Liberty Bay later described him as a "great student of the Lord". After retiring from EDS he took a job at Nordstrom as a programmer. He retired from Nordstrom in 2006 and lived a life of hospitality in Poulsbo until he and Pat recently moved to Tacoma to be near family.

Throughout his life Darrell loved to work with kids. He worked with Cub Scouts and Boy Scouts when his sons were involved and then moved on to working with the church youth group when the boys were no longer in Scouts. When his boys were grown he started cooking for church camp and Camp High Rock for the Yakima Nation. He and Pat also worked with West Sound Youth for Christ providing respite foster care.

Church involvement went above and beyond regular weekly attendance and his duties as Elder. He frequently served as a Sunday school teacher and he and Pat were known for hosting church social gatherings. These gatherings started when they lived on Hood Canal and changed only slightly when they moved closer in to town.He is survived by his wife, Pat, two brothers, Ken and Marvin, his three sons, Brian (Gretchen), Mike (Tamara), and Curt (Christi), and six grandchildren.

A memorial service will be held at 4:00 on Sunday, May 24 at Liberty Bay Presbyterian Church. Interment will be private at Cherry Grove Memorial Park in Poulsbo. The family has requested that instead of flowers, donations be made to West Sound Youth for Christ (https://westsound.yfc.net/donate/)