John “Jack” Richard Colley, 91, died Tuesday, Jan. 27, 2015 of complications from Parkinson’s disease. He passed peacefully, surrounded by family.

Born 1923 in Fruitland, Washington to Richard and Gertrude Colley, Jack was raised on a small farm with his six siblings.

His childhood was spent hunting, fishing, helping around the farm and going on family huckleberry picking trips in the mountains. He attended school and played football in nearby Hunters, then headed off to work as a miner in Idaho for a year after graduation.

At the start of World War II, he enlisted in the Navy, and served in the South Pacific for four years.

After the war, he spent another four years in service as a police officer in Bremerton. It was there he met Amy Heinrich, and they were married in 1949.

Always determined and full of life, Jack was in a nearly fatal motorcycle crash on duty, the day after his son, Gary was born and jack fully recovered to take on his role as a father.

Ready to start a new chapter in life, he moved his family to Pullman to attend Washington State University on the GI Bill. He graduated with a degree in forestry and went to work for Port Blakely Tree Farms of Seattle.

During this time, the family welcomed their daughter, Gayle, and made their home in several small towns around western Washington where Jack worked for Port Blakely over the course of 34 years.

He retired as chief forester in 1988, finally settling on Bainbridge Island where he lived out the rest of his life with Amy, enjoying beautiful views of Puget Sound.

Jack was an avid outdoorsman, spending his free time hunting, fishing and always working on projects outside.

He was thoroughly a family man, well-loved by all of his siblings, and always there to lend a helping hand. He enjoyed many family vacations with his children over the years, and travels with Amy including the Southwest, Alaska, Asia and Europe, and annual elk hunting trips to Idaho with his son. He leaves behind him an outdoorsman’s legacy, with descendants who value nature and advocate for conservation.

Jack leaves behind is wife of 65 years, Amy Colley; his son, Gary Colley; grandchildren, Lara Colley, Daniel Colley, Brienne Benson and Brett Benson; great-grandchildren River Bugbey, Rosemary Bugbey and Lyla Colley; and siblings, Patricia Tennyson, Dolores Leistiko and Monte Hall.

He is preceded in death by daughter, Gayle Benson; and sisters Marjorie Wilson, Maxine Bagocus, and Jean Ballard.

Upon his request, there will be no formal memorial service. Instead, hold Jack in your memories as you would an old growth tree; strong and long-lived, finally falling to leave behind the legacy of a forest.