W. Chet Ullin Obituary (1915

Chet was born in Seattle where he spent his early years. His family moved to Centralia in the early 1920's where his father worked as a manager in the cedar and lumber mill. In high school he played football, kayaked the local rivers, and was active in Boy Scouts. He graduated from Centralia High in 1932. Chet was active in Boy Scouts in Centralia, achieving the rank of Eagle Scout. Scouting introduced Chet to the mountains. He worked at a new scout camp, Camp Cleland, at Lena Lake in the Olympic Mountains at the base of The Brothers Mountain from 1927 to 1937. He was assistant camp director, head guide, waterfront director, and led the Scouts on 3-day hikes from Camp Cleland. In 1933, Chet was recruited to play football at Bellingham Normal (now Western Washington University). He was the first 4-year football letterman at WWU. He also found time to work in the college bookstore as well as cleaning a tavern and funeral parlor. While in college, Chet established several outdoor activities and learned to barbecue salmon form the college president. He continued to help with the Summer Recreation Program from 1938 to 1942, leading hikes and climbs of Mt. Baker. Chet's love for his alma mater was evident. He returned annually to put on salmon bakes and lead Mt. Baker climbs until 1960. Following his climbing days, he and Phyllis returned to WWU's Homecoming events and Football Award Banquets until the year 2001. He was inducted into the Western Washington University Athletic Hall of Fame in 1996 and earlier, the WWU Alumni Association Distinguished Service Award. After graduating from Bellingham Normal in 1937, Chet accepted a teaching position in the Seattle schools. He met Phyllis Rose through mutual friends in 1938. They first dated at a roller skating party in Mt. Vernon. The courtship included ice-skating in Seattle, skiing at Stampede Pass where Chet was a ski guide for the Northern Pacific Railway Ski Lodge, and hiking with the WWU Recreation Summer Program. Chet and Phyllis were married on June 8, 1940 in Mt. Vernon. Through the years, Chet became an avid photographer, using his skills on his outdoor adventures and in his teaching job. In 1941 he transfered to the Seattle School District Office so his talents could benefit the entire district as he assisted the Visual Aids Director. In 1945 he moved to Bremerton to be the Director of Instructional Materials for the Bremerton and Kitsap County Schools, supporting 5 school districts. He retired in 1973 after 36 years. Chet remained active in the Scouts for over 11 years while he and Phyllis raised three sons, Gary Jay, and Jim. He served as their Cubmaster and Scoutmaster, leading the Bremerton Troop 504 on numerous 2-week hikes through the Olympic Mountains and on climbs of Mt. Olympus, Mt. Stone, The Brothers, and Mt. St. Helens- peaks he had grown to know so well in his youth. Chet received the Boy Scout Silver Beaver Award in recognition of his contributions. The photography skills from his college days were used in 1945 when Chet worked for the State Fisheries Dept. and the West Coast Lumberman's Association. He was especially skilled at outdoor and mountain photos and enhanced his career work with photographs of school activities. He began to organize his slides into 'American Hertiage' and 'America the Beautiful' programs he delivered with music. He entertained many groups locally from PTA meetings to regional and national conventions, showing his programs from New Orleans to Denver to Washington D.C. Campfire songs often accompanied his programs- recreating the spirit of the Olympic Mountains he loved so much. Chet worked at the International Boy's Camp on San Juan Island in the late 1930's, where he fell in love with Point White Near Roche Harbor. Beginning in 1948, he led his family on many summer expeditons, setting up camp in surplus Army tents. Remembering his youth in Centralia, Chet built wooden kayaks for his 3 sons to explore the area. The Ullin 'camp' evolved form a tent to a cabin built with lumber brought in by raft and, finally, to a house that Chet designed over the years. This vacation place became the hub of kayaking and boating activities. Chet and Phyllis especially enjoyed sharing their island home with their sons, grandchildren, and great grandchildren as well as entertaining friends from Bremerton who would come by boat and camper during the summer. In their later years, Chet and Phyllis especially enjoyed traveling to visit relatives in Sweden, grandchildren and great grandchildren in Hawaii, and joining Bremerton friends on tours to the Middle East, Australia, and New Zealand. Chet was active in many local, regional, and national organizations including: * Our Saviour's Lutheran Church * Sons of Norway (Whom he loved to remind that he was Swedish) * Kitsap Historical Society * Western Washington University Alumni Association * Retired Teachers Association * Seattle Mountaineers * American Alpine Club * Boy Scouts * Bremerton Yacht Club * Kiwanis * Alamander Square Dancing Son Jay of Seattle, son Jim and his wife Joan of Ferndale, and their family, son Kenui of Ferndale, daughter Malia of Maui, Hawaii and her husband Jeff Gerard and their sons Nainoa and Nakoa of Maui survive Chet. A Celebation of Chet's life will be held Friday May 17th at 12 PM at Lewis Funeral Chapel in Bremerton with visitation prior to the service commencing at 11 AM. Interment will be held at 11 AM on Saturday, May 18th at the Mount Vernon Cemetery of Endowed Care (the old OOF Cemetery).