Michael Everett Gurnett
Michael Everett Gurnett was born in Seattle on March 23, 1950 to George and Hermine Gurnett. He joined two older brothers, Bill and Wayne. The family was later expanded with the final addition of younger brother, Ken.
Mike grew up in the Northgate area during the 1950’s, when kids could play outside in the neighborhood from morning until night and only come home for dinner. It was here that he forged many of his closest friendships that lasted throughout his lifetime. It was also in his early years that his father taught him the love of the outdoors, with family trips to the mountains to fish, camp and hunt.
Mike attended Pinehurst Elementary, Jane Adams Middle School and Nathan Hale High School, playing all the sports that were offered. He especially enjoyed football and baseball. Mike went to Spokane Community College to play football and completed additional classes at Shoreline Community College and the University of Washington.
Following school, Mike followed his Dad into a career of plumbing. Mike completed the journeyman apprenticeship program and became a proud member of Local 32, the Plumbers & Pipefitters Union. Mike worked for many companies around Seattle throughout the years, continuing to develop additional long lasting friendships.
Mike met Stephanie in 1974, they married in 1979 and started their family in 1983 with the birth of daughter Kendra, followed by son Wade in 1986.
With the birth of his children his true passion in life developed: being a devoted father. Whether it was coaching his kids’ sports teams, taking them to Husky football games, attending school plays or concerts, riding bikes or family vacations; no matter what the activity, if it involved family, it was Mike’s first priority.
There were also annual family vacations including camping trips on the Chewack River in Eastern Washington, trips to the Whidbey Island beach house, Hawaii, California, Massachusetts, Alaska, Canada, Myrtle Beach, Arizona, England, Italy and their most recent trip to Tucson last February. Mike loved to travel, as long as it was with his family.
After family, Mike’s next focus was his friends. His circle of friends was large and diverse. Mike was like a magnet, picking up friends wherever he went. He truly loved and treasured friends.
Mike also loved sports and participated in many up until the last months of his life. As a young man baseball, football and hunting were early passions. In his parenting years, he became coach and cheerleader for many of his daughter and son’s teams. In later years, he started to follow that little white ball around the golf course … and his tribe of friends joined him there too. With weekly golf games and the annual “Gurnett Golf Tournament”, Mike loved to play golf and he was good at it too. He was always ready for any round of golf until his illness prevented him from playing and then he still enjoyed riding along in the cart, just to be with the guys.
Mike died peacefully at home, surrounded by his family, on the morning of December 24, 2010, following a two-year journey with cancer. He is survived and greatly missed by his wife of 31 years, Stephanie, daughter Kendra and son Wade. Dearly remembered by brothers Bill, Wayne, and Ken, along with numerous brother and sister-in-laws, nieces, nephews and beloved friends.
Mike loved his life, his family, his friends… and he loved to laugh.
“Remember me with smiles and laughter, for that is the way I will remember you.”
A Celebration of Mike’s life will be held Thursday, January 6, 2011 at the Nile Country Club in Mountlake Terrace, WA at 1:30pm. Remembrances may be made to GRACE (www.cancergrace.org) or your favorite charity.