Passing…

A true islander has passed… Fred’s memorial service will be held Saturday, February 20 at 1:00 p.m. at Islands Community Church. Here’s more from his daughter, Kris:

Fred Bourland

Fredrick “Fred” William Bourland, Sr.
Fredrick William Bourland, Sr., a Friday Harbor resident and former general manager for Valmark, went home to be with his Lord and Savior following complications from radiation treatment for lung cancer. His life was a testimony of commitment to God, his wife, family and friends.

Fred was born October 6, 1936 in Tacoma, Washington, to William E. and Hazel C. Bourland. He grew up in Gig Harbor, Bremerton and West Seattle where he graduated from West Seattle High School in 1954. After various jobs in Seattle and California, he joined the Army and in 1959 was stationed at the Alaska Communication System in Glenallen, Alaska.

It was there he met an adventurous school teacher from North Hollywood, California, Merilyn Berthold, whom he married July 30, 1960. Returning to Seattle, he briefly attended the University of Washington and worked in accounting for Associated Grocers before the birth of twin daughters in March 1961 and two sons in July 1962 and November 1967. He was a member of Riverton Heights Presbyterian Church, where he served as an elder.

Following in his father’s footsteps, he found great satisfaction in the retail & wholesale grocery business. He worked for Associated Grocers for 30 years in accounting and as a retail accounts representative throughout Northwest Washington and Alaska. In 1971, he moved the family to Bellingham where he was active in Geneva Community Church. He “retired” to begin his second career in 1991 in the San Juan Islands where his father had been born. A descendent of Waldron Island pioneers Friederich and Louise Krumdiack , Fred felt like he was coming home.

As general manager for VMAL (later Valmark, Inc.) he enjoyed overseeing
operations for three grocery stores, Harbor Airlines and especially Roche Harbor Resort as his great grandfather had delivered cord wood for the limekilns in the late 1800s. Retiring for real in 2004, Fred enjoyed island life and shared his love of baseball, football, biking, fishing and golfing with his family and friends. Even during the last two years struggling with lung cancer he rarely missed his grandsons’ Tiger football and Little League baseball games. He faithfully served as Treasurer of Islands Community Church.

Fred was preceded in death by his parents (1959), surrogate parents Uncle Clifford (1992) and Aunt Katherine Bourland (1999) , and son-in-law Thomas Unger (1994). He is survived by his wife of nearly 50 years, Merilyn; sister Billye Anderson (Richard) of Spokane; daughters Kristine Brown (David) of Friday Harbor and Kelley Unger of Bellevue; sons Fredrick, Jr. “Rick” of Maltby and Randy of Bellingham; grandsons Carson and Connor Brown of Friday Harbor.

Memorial services will be held Saturday, February 20 at 1:00 p.m. at Islands Community Church, 127 Gilbert Lane, Friday Harbor and Tuesday, February 23, at 1:00 p.m. at Christ the King Church, 4173 Meridian Street, Bellingham. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to FHAA Tiger Football, P.O. Box 809, or Islands Community Church, P.O. Box 1326, Friday Harbor, WA 98250.

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