Mike Chadwick  1932 – 2015

Mike Chadwick; 1932 – 2015 Contributed photo

Mike Chadwick died peacefully at home November 4, 2015, after waging a three year battle with cancer. He lived a quiet life of devotion to his work, honor to his country, and love for his family and friends.

He was born in Manchester, England in 1932, attended grammar school there, and in ’42 transferred to Rishworth School in Yorkshire. It was considered a safer place during WWII. He shared fond memories of his Rishworth days, recalling once that he used to count the RAF planes that were leaving on bombing raids and then again, counting those returning.

At age thirteen he visited Paris with school chums and remembered selling coffee on the black market in order to obtain francs to spend at Pigalle. The experience of climbing the Eiffel Tower stayed with him. At sixteen, after the war, he accompanied his mother to Canada where she remarried to an American GI. Mike enrolled at Shawnigan Lake School, Vancouver Island, to complete requirements for High School. He continued quasi military training through the Cadet Corps and played on the Cricket team. The headmaster let him repair a fleet of derelict sailboats so that he and his schoolmates could learn to sail (and visit the girls’ school across the lake). Thus began his lifelong love for sailing.

In order to earn money for college, Mike worked summers in Kodiak and Adak Island in Alaska, Spokane and Seattle on a wide variety of jobs. He attended Stanford and the University of Washington, taking special interest in engineering and land surveying. He was drafted to service in the US Army and served in Korea as a communications specialist. He spent his 21st birthday in a foxhole near the north-south border… the lowest point of his life. The greatest sight of his life was returning to the US by sailing beneath the San Francisco Bay Bridge aboard a military transport.

Upon completing education at the UW, he began a career as a land surveyor. He worked for the city of Seattle at first, then joined Howard Harstad Engineering in Seattle. In 1969, when Boeing laid off 10,000 employees business dried up. Mike decided to form a partnership with Bob Meriwether in Bellevue. In 1973, he formed Chadwick Surveying and Engineering, and practiced in Seattle for the next twenty five years. At retirement, the business was sold to Bob Winters, who renamed the firm Chadwick and Winters Surveying. When told of Mike’s passing, Bob said, “We’ll never change the company name. It will always be Chadwick and Winters Surveying”. This speaks to the integrity and reputation of the founder.

Mike met Kathy in summer of 1958 in a coffee shop at their workplace. They married in 1960 and soon became a family with two delightful daughters; Karen Marie and Susan Margaret. Mike took to family life like a skipper to his yacht. He enjoyed taking his girls hiking and camping throughout Washington State, making sure they learned to bike, drive, bowl, ski. Folkdance and sail. Every time a new boyfriend appeared on the scene, Mike would ask, “Does he have a good paper route?” He mastered skills needed to rewire and put in a new service entrance in their first house. He reroofed and painted all three of their houses. He served as Blockwatch captain for several years. Neighbors respected and admired him. Later the two new loves of his life were born to Susan and her husband Randy. Alicia Kathryn and Jonah Michael, his dear grandchildren, lit up his life every time he saw or spoke to them.

Mike was challenged by the mountains, and joined The Mountaineers. After passing and later teaching the technical climbing courses, he ascended the major peaks in Washington, and reached the summit of Mt. Rainier on three occasions. He added downhill skiing, ski mountaineering and snowshoeing to his list of activities.

He was equally challenged by the sea, and fulfilled a wish to own his own sailboat.

The first was “Shinbanger” which stayed in Lake Washington, then Bilbo Baggins (alias “Headbanger”) at Shilshole Bay, then two more boats named Bilbo Baggins. Gollum, the dinghy was towed behind. He taught sailing courses at Green Lake in Seattle, and for the Mountaineers Sailing Group. The thrill and joy of sailing in and around the San Juan and Gulf Islands never waned. He visited Bilbo Baggins every week to test the lights or run the engine, until a few weeks ago. He admired and supported the fine work of the Friday Harbor Power Squadron. He loved sharing stories and learning from his many friends in the Friday Harbor Sailing Club.

Mike and Kathy thought long and hard about moving from their longtime family home at retirement time, but were drawn to the San Juans by the lure of ports further away. He absolutely loved living here and enjoyed the company of new friends and neighbors. Nothing beat having a daily hot cuppa coffee (or two) at San Juan Coffee and The Bean.

The family wishes to express deep heartfelt gratitude for all of you who helped Mike and Kathy during the period of his illness with home renovations and repairs, boat maintenance, car and motorcycle upkeep, meal preparations, health care, moral support and end-of-life care. You are wonderful. It made a difference.

An informal remembrance tea and celebration of his life will be held at the Grange on Saturday, November 28th, from 2:00 to 4:00 pm. In lieu of flowers/gifts, please consider giving blood at the next local Blood Drive. It would comfort us to know that the supply is being replenished and available for others.

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