O. LeRoy Bodin

O. LeRoy Bodin, 84, passed away July 17, 2007 at their home. He was born Aug. 30, 1922 to Andrew and Emma (Lindevig) Bodin in Aitkin County, Minn., the fourth of five children and on his only sister’s eighth birthday. He attended country schools then two years at Aitkin High School. He was an avid reader and by the time he was 13 he had read all the books in the little school library.

He grew up in the logging camps of northern Minnesota and started firing steam engines at age 10. He later hauled lumber to Minneapolis and elsewhere then graduated to mill sawyer.

In 1942 he came to Seattle to celebrate his birthday with his sister and then joined the air arm of the U.S. Navy along with several other transplanted Minnesota boys. They bypassed boot camp and were sent directly to the very new Pasco Naval Air Training Station. There he spent the first 90 days working in the mess hall. He became an aviation mechanic in charge of engine overhaul where he worked on the Sterman biplane with seven cylinder radial engine, used for training; on fold-wing carrier planes like the F6F, F4F, TBM, and others of the era. In their spare time they hunted jackrabbits in the Horse Heaven Hills long before irrigation came to the area. He was later sent to Leyte, Philippine Islands where he drove a supply truck. He was honorably discharged in 1946 at Sand Point Naval Station in Seattle and returned to Minnesota where he took up where he left off in the saw mill. He had met Margaret at a friend’s a couple days before he left Seattle but neither ever expected to meet again.

In 1948 he was called to Seattle by Iversen Wrecking Co. to be their foreman while they were wrecking and salvaging a portion of Farragut Naval Training Station, Idaho. While in Idaho he took flying lessons and earned his pilot’s license. When he arrived back in Seattle he immediately pursued a friendship with Margaret. They were married in Seattle on Nov. 25, 1949, by Rev. Cornie Reintjes. Together they had two children, Patricia and Gary.

In 1953 he moved his family to Oak Harbor where he has had a variety of occupations, including being the first to do selective logging with the first self-loading truck on the island, moving houses (he moved the first house to Sunset Beach and later moved the Maylor house from Maylor’s Point to be their home), installing and running coin-op laundries, builder, and self-taught electrician. For many years he had the only “for-hire” locator for underground power breaks and answered calls day or night. He will be remembered for his ability to do so many things well and willingness to help someone in need. He was a real work-aholic.

He is survived by his wife of 57 years, daughter Patricia and husband, Randy Goins of Bothell; son Gary Bodin, Oak Harbor; grandchildren David Bodin of Longview; Jeremy and Dianna Bodin, and Katie and Andrew Thacker of Oak Harbor; great-grandchildren Megan and Andrew Bodin; brother, Palmer and wife, Ruth Bodin of Rochester, Wash., and many nieces, nephews and cousins.

He was preceded in death by his parents, sister Agnes, and brothers, Hubert and Andrew.

A working man’s memorial service will be at First Reformed Church at a date and time to be announced. Private internment.

Memorials may be made to Children’s Hospital, Seattle or the Lions’ Eye Bank.