Henry Wesley Thorsen, our beloved husband, father, grandfather, great-grandfather and great-great-grandfather, passed away June 25, 2008 at the age of 90 surrounded by his loving family.

Henry was born a twin on May 22, 1918 in Seattle and lived his entire life in Clinton.

The Thorsen family’s Clinton roots originally started when Henry’s grandparents move to the island in 1890.

Henry was very athletic and participated in all of the sports offered at Langley High School. He graduated from Langley in 1936 where he held the record in the 220-yard race for more than 40 years. Henry was also an amateur boxer in his late teens and early twenties.

Henry and his wife Myrtle first met at Deer Lake Grammar School and married shortly after high school in 1939 (next year they would have celebrated their 70th wedding anniversary).

Soon after marriage they moved into their Clinton home built by Myrtle’s father in 1940 where they raised three children. Henry and Myrtle have lived in the same home for the past

68 years.

Henry sailed in the Merchant Marines during World War II (1941-1946) throughout the South Pacific and Alaska.

When he returned from duty he went back to work for the Black Ball Ferry Company (soon to become Washington State Ferries) as an agent. He spent

37 years as the head agent for the Mukilteo/Clinton ferry run before retiring in 1980.

Henry was preceded in death by his parents Ed and Bessie Thorsen (Simmons), his twin brother Wendell Thorsen and his son Danne Thorsen.

Henry is survived by his wife Myrtle of Clinton; his daughter Diane and son-in-law Allan Haven of Greenbank; son Bill and daughter-in-law Naida Thorsen of Clinton; his daughter-in-law Judy Workman of Clinton; grandchildren Kim Iverson, Kristi Ridgeway, Dodi Thompson, Deborah McDonald, Eric Thorsen, Katie Grindon, Ole Thorsen and Amanda Williams; great-grandchildren Sondra Thompson, Lena Larkin, Samantha Thompson, Elle Larkin, Kevin McDonald, Wesley Thorsen, Isaac Rubenstein, Casey Thorsen, Henry Grindon, William Grindon, Cole Thorsen, Thea Williams and Estelle Thorsen; and great-great-grandchild Stevie Jo Thompson. Many of Henry’s great grandchildren are sixth-generation Whidbey Islanders.

Henry will be missed and forever remembered by all who knew him.

Funeral services will be held at 3 p.m. Saturday, June 28 at St. Peter’s Lutheran Church in Clinton.

A reception will follow at Bill and Naida Thorsen’s house.