G. Leroy
Gunstone
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Birth: 8/12/1928
Death: 1/31/2010
Interred:
Service Information:
2:00 PM, Saturday, February 13, 2010, South Sound Manor, 455 North St SE, Tumwater, WA
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Obituary:
G. Leroy Gunstone
August 12, 1928-January 31, 2010G. Leroy Gunstone, age 81, passed away on Sunday, January 31, at Auburn Regional Medical Center. LeRoy was born on August 12, 1928 in Olympia, Washington to Lloyd and Hazel Gunstone.LeRoy and his sister Joan were raised on a farm south of Olympia in a community called Littlerock/Maytown. This farm and others nearby were the result of two brothers homesteading the area in the mid-1800s. Throughout his early childhood and until he went to college, LeRoy’s time was spent helping his father and mother build a thriving dairy farm and later a meat-packing business.LeRoy graduated from Olympia High School in 1946 and left for The State College of Washington in Pullman Washington, now known as Washington State University. He graduated in 1951 with a BS in Agriculture. He was hired and worked for Boeing Aircraft Company of Seattle Washington for his entire working life of 35 years until his retirement in 1986. During his career he worked on many strategic military programs for Boeing, such as Peacekeeper, B-52, KC-135, Minuteman, E3A and ALCM. These projects took him to several countries around the world.LeRoy’s life was shaped by a fateful encounter with fellow State College classmate Robert Herzog who later became his close lifelong friend. Through their mutual passionate love for the outdoors they took their families on numerous adventures in backpacking, skiing, hunting and boating for over 40 years. In the early 1970s he, along with his rafting friends, formed the Boeing Whitewater and Touring Club, BE’WET’. Through the whitewater club he met and married Ardieta Harrison and together they spent numerous years rafting whitewater rivers throughout the greater Northwest. LeRoy and Ardieta also made many snowbird trips with his custom-built camper and 34’ trailer, traveling as far south as Cabo San Lucas, Mexico.LeRoy was a very adventuresome man who developed many skills throughout his lifetime. He possessed the ability to problem solve and fix many different mechanical challenges. He demonstrated his kindness and generosity to others by helping them with whatever "fix-it" need they had. This usually led to invitations to the outdoor activities that he dearly loved. Most who came in contact with him reaped the benefits of his skills and outdoorsman enthusiasm.
He leaves behind his faithful companion Ardieta; his sister Joan; three children, Denise, Debbie & Donald; three step-children, Tom, Janet, and Pam; 16 grandchildren, and two great-grandchildren. He is preceded in death by his step-son Mark.As an alternative to flowers, the family requests a donation to americanrivers.org, an organization that strives to create clean rivers and protect recreational opportunities. Please feel welcome to leave your comments to the family at by clicking on "View Guestbook" below. Your remarks will be greatly cherished.
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