Joseph W TerLouw

Joseph W. TerLouw, 84, of Buckley, WA passed away on Tuesday, June 12, 2018. Born August 31, 1933 in University Park, Iowa, Joe was the youngest child, son of Joseph and Hattie TerLouw (Heitink). Joe grew up on his parent’s dairy farm along with his three sisters where his job was to make the milk deliveries. Joe graduated from Iowa State University before enlisting in the United States Army, where he was stationed in Lannon, WI at a Nike Missile Site. While stationed in Wisconsin, Joe met Ruth Anderson. The couple married and Joe accepted a position with the US Forest Service at the Willamette Nat’l Forest in Oregon.  There, they began their family having three sons; Joseph, Erick and Matthew. Joe transferred to the Snoqualmie National Forest in 1969 and the family moved to Buckley, WA. After a long career with the Forest Service Joe retired in 1988.

Joe was truly a man of many interests. His passion for nature and the outdoors started early in life when he began watching birds at the age of 10.  Joe also loved hunting, fishing, wildflowers, mountains and the ocean.  Joe, Ruth and the boys travelled often over the years by car to Wisconsin, Iowa, Utah, and New Jersey to see family and enjoy the countryside and attractions. After his retirement, Joe and Ruth travelled both internationally and domestically pursuing his passion for birds as well as seeing many of the sights. 

The summer road trips are a pastime Joe’s family will remember always. One thing that will be remembered fondly was the very last trip Joe was able to make to the Midwest as his health was failing. Ruth and son Matthew loaded up the car and took Joe on one last road trip for 2 weeks.

Joe will be remembered as a hard-working man who loved his family dearly.

Joe is survived by his wife, Ruth of Buckley; sons, Joseph of Bremerton, Erick of Des Moines and Matthew (Terri) of Normandy Park; two grandsons, Brandon and Tyler; brother-in-law Walter (Lenora) Anderson and sister-in-law Barbara (Bill) Suyama;  and numerous nieces,  nephews, and cousins.

He is preceded in death by his parents, Joseph and Hattie TerLouw and sisters, Harriett Mendenhall, Nivale Sopher and Joeva Lehfeld.

A celebration of his life will be held on Saturday, July 28th at 11:00am at the Five2Five event hall located at 525 S. Division St., Buckley, WA 98321.

Donations in Joe’s memory can be made to The Nature Conservancy, Washington Program, 74 Wall Street, Seattle, WA 98121.

To send flowers to the family or plant a tree in memory of Joseph W TerLouw, please visit our floral store.