Warren Chenoweth Van Pelt, Jr., age 56, died in Bremerton April 12 after a short illness.

He was born in Seattle on Sept. 20, 1946 to Eleanor Van Pelt (Henderson) and Warren C. Van Pelt, Sr., and raised on Bainbridge Island.

He graduated from Bainbridge High School in 1965. A life-long learner, he was fluent in numerous languages and was a self-taught musician.

He worked at the creosote plant from 1967 until its closure in the 1990s. He was then retrained as a prison guard and was working as a security guard at the time of his death.

In the 1960s and ‘70s he owned and operated a service station at Eagle Harbor and Van’s Tractor Service on Bainbridge Island. He also owned a Spanish-language movie distribution. He and his wife Felicidad were married in 1979, and divorced in 2001.

He enjoyed Latin American music enjoyed “jamming” with other musicians around the region.

He is survived by his father, of Tacoma, two sisters: Victoria Farnsworth, Tacoma, and Susan Neese, Port Angeles; and four brothers: Jerry Van Pelt, Connell, David Henderson, Tucson, Ariz., Michael Henderson, Suquamish, and Percy Henderson, Seattle; and by numerous nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by his mother in 1994.

A celebration of his life will be held at 7 p.m. April 24 at Seabold Hall on Bainbridge Island.