Simeon Lariviere | 1944-2021
Posted January 30, 2021 at 5:30 am by Hayley Day
Simeon Lariviere passed away peacefully in his sleep in the early morning hours on Saturday, Jan. 16, 2021.
Sim, as he was more commonly known, was born in Yakima on June 4, 1944. He originally moved to San Juan Island in the late 1970s to be a caretaker for the San Juan County Park. Later, he sold souvenirs and novelties at the family-owned store, Wisenheimers.
Locals may remember him for his homemade root beer, which he vended at the Farmer’s Market 30-odd years ago. More recently, people may recognize him through his vibrant and tactual paintings that he enjoyed exhibiting at the county fair, library, and in various businesses around town. He had a thirst for knowledge, which he quenched by studying, reading, and writing. He also took great joy in extracting laughter from others, friends and strangers alike.
Sim lived a full life and will be dearly missed by his wife, Mollie Irene Heath. He is survived by his six children; Greg, Geoff, Vincent, Maggie, Josie and Charlotte, and five grandchildren, whom will always hold fond memories of him within their hearts.
“Now I can see
the moon down the hill.
I hear the wind crying
in the dry branches of the trees.
Rain is pattering on the ground.
I am the rain.
I am the land,
and the grass will grow out of me
in a little while.” Love, Sim
In lieu of flowers, please send donations to San Juan Island EMS and the San Juan Island Family Resource Center.
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Categories: Obituaries
One comment:
One comment...
I just learned of your death, old Buddy. If it weren’t for you the San Juans would still be alien to me. I miss sitting around the log cabin at Smallpox Bay watching Victoria go to sleep, oysters on the hibachi, Maggie crying on cue from you, then stopping immediately, calling Trippy at, what, 3am like it was normal, frisbee on the grass where they filmed Practical Magic, beers at Herb’s, your gift of human magnetism…I will miss you, Simeon. Thank you for all the goodness you planted in the world.
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