Lewis Glen Ehly (AKA Lew, Louie, Tub, Dad, Grandpa, GL) died peacefully surrounded by family on July 8, 2025, at the age of 78 in Olympia, WA.

He was born, raised, and lived most of his life in Aberdeen, Washington. One of ten children, he grew up in a household where personality, resilience and resourcefulness were forged early on. After serving in the U.S. Army in Germany, he returned home to begin a lifelong career at the Weyerhaeuser Pulp Mill in Cosmopolis, WA; a job that gave him the structure and stability to support his greatest joy: his family.

Lew felt most at home exploring the wilderness of the Pacific Northwest preferably with the open road, river, or sea unfolding ahead of him. He knew every logging road, river bend, and bay on the Olympic Peninsula like the back of his hand. He delighted in taking his family on epic cross-country camping road trips and could drive for hours, sustained by coffee, a loose idea of the next destination and the joy of putting his family in the way of natural beauty.

A lifelong athlete, he ran marathons well into his later years, consistently placing at the top of his age bracket (not that he would brag about it). With his gift of ambidexterity, he was a double threat on the softball field and always served as the designated pitcher for his teams. Additionally, he was a crack-shot hunter and a surprisingly decent golfer. He had an uncanny ability to find trophy bucks, pick the perfect fishing lure and locate razor clam holes even in the worst of weather conditions. Even when his aim was a bit off, it was usually "just to make it fair for the others."

More than anything, Lew was quick to laugh, easy to talk to and impossible not to love. He was known for his quick wit, easygoing gentleness and his colorful sense of humor... often uncensored, always well-timed and uniquely his own.

He was preceded in death by his wife, Becky Ehly, in 1992. He is survived by his three children: Brent Ehly of Cosmopolis, WA; Jeremy Ehly (with wife Lindsay Grote) of Boulder, CO; and Lindsey Seiber (with husband Carl Seiber) of Lacey, WA; as well as his many beloved grandchildren and extended family who carry his memory forward with pride, laughter and affection.

A Celebration of Life will be held on Sunday, August 3rd, from 12–3 PM at the Lake Sylvia Legacy Pavilion in Montesano, WA. Guests are encouraged to come with an empty stomach, full heart, and plenty of stories to share about Lew. In lieu of flowers, please consider bringing a dish or dessert that Lew would have loved to share at the gathering.