With a fresh shave and a smile, Dad passed on August 1, 2019. Dad lived a full, vibrant life filled with family, friends, love, laughter and his strong faith in God and Country.
His journey began shortly after his graduation from Everett High School in 1950. Dad enlisted in the Navy and was stationed at Adak, Alaska. As the story goes, he came home on leave, saw our mother Marilyn at the bus station and the rest is history. Married shortly thereafter, they welcomed three children to the world while Dad worked full-time and managed to finish his degree at Western Washington State College. He did this all in a span of five years. He set the bar himself high and for his kids even higher.
Marilyn, our Mother and his wife of 64 years was and still is the love of his life. His devotion to her drove his daily schedule completely, unwavering and unselfishly.
Dad was very proud of his kids. He relished in all their accomplishments and lived vicariously through them. He loved to follow his family on Facebook, and he made sure he called us every Sunday to check in. He always stayed close even when we were thousands of miles away.
Dad loved the beautiful women he was surrounded by. He always commented that he was the luckiest guy in the world to have five granddaughters. Dad loved woodworking and made sure that all his granddaughters had hope chests and his great grandson had a toy box. All built with his own hands and his big heart. Dad also loved hanging with his guy friends too. He would bake cookies and joined them for coffee every Thursday.
Dad loved his Country and wore his uniform proudly during his over 42 years of service in the United States Navy and Navy Reserve. One of his goals was to receive his commission. He accomplished that goal and retired as a Chief Warrant Officer Four. Dad also loved his church family and you could often see him volunteering his time to help those that needed it most.
Dad loved boating, RV travel, cooking, travelling to San Francisco and San Diego and the Seahawks. His real happy place was Hawaii where he packed all of us up in 1972 for a tour of duty at Pearl Harbor. It was a life changing moment for all of us and some of the happiest days of our lives. Hawaii will ALWAYS hold a special place in our hearts.
Dad is preceded in death by his parents Jacob and Mary Secor, his sister Beulah Newman and her husband Warren and his brother Ernest Secor and his wife Alice.
He is survived by his wife Marilyn, sons James Secor, Richard Secor and wife Lori and daughter Patricia Serpa and her husband Rod. Five granddaughters, Angie, Jessica, Katie, Brittany and Heather. Four great grandchildren Jack, Darien, Aila and Shiloh. Sister Mary Anderson and nephews Mark and David Anderson, His brother Harold Secor and his wife Patty and nieces Lisa, Anna and nephews Vincent and Patrick.
To know Dad was to love Dad. The impression he made on all of us will forever remain in our hearts. He was generous in all he did.
Please join us at 1pm on Friday, August 23, 2019 for a funeral mass and celebration on his life at Immaculate Conception Church, 2501 Hoyt Ave, Everett, WA.
In lieu of flowers, please consider donating to a memorial bench in Dad’s honor. This bench will overlook Port Gardner Bay, where Dad worked on tugs boats as a youth and spent decades boating with his family and friends.
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