Thorn W Cheyney Jr

On September 5, 2013 our Lord called Thorn W. Cheyney Jr. home. Thorn passed peacefully with the family at his bedside at the U of W Medical Center. Thorn gave everything he had to overcome his condition, but his time on earth had come to an end.

When Thorn was five years old his family moved here to Washington State from Glenwood, Iowa in the spring of 1939. The family located in Centralia for a few months prior to moving "way out in the country". The family moved to Port Orchard prior to the start of WWII. Some of Thorn's primary responsibilities as a child growing up were to gather the firewood for cooking and heat. Thorn attended Peninsula High School and graduated from there in 1949. Thorn was a member of the Class of 1949 "Letterman's Club", he wore number "21" on the varsity basketball team and wore "2" as one of the quarterbacks for the football team.

Thorn joined the Air Force and achieved the rank of Airman First Class. He was a veteran of the Korean War and received various accommodations and citations for his service to the country he so proudly honored. It was during his tour of duty at the Miho Air Base that Thorn accepted the Lord Jesus Christ as his personal savior and was then baptized in July of 1952. Thorn was honorably discharged from the United States Air Force in August of 1954. Shortly after his discharge from the service, he met and soon after married the love of his life, Ina. Thorn on more than one occasion described the sweater that Ina wore at the dance that compelled Thorn to follow his heart.

Thorn led an illustrious career at Puget Sound Naval Shipyard. Thorn took the Pipefitter's Apprenticeship and graduated that apprenticeship as a "Coppersmith" in September 1959. He went on to hold numerous positions at the shipyard achieving the position of Ships Superintendent. His shipyard career took him all over the world. Thorn had the opportunity to take a billet in Rhoda, Spain but the family opted to stay at home. Thorn went on to work at PERA CV and eventually the material branch from where he retired in April 1986.

Thorn had many outside activities that kept him busy. He was a commercial fisherman for many years. And to his surprise Thorn was on the cover of the Washington State Fisheries pamphlet for a while which depicted him with that prized king salmon. For years a group of high school friends annually met up at the Wynooche for the yearly elk hunt. Even though his commercial fishing days came to an end, the family spent a lot of time out at La Push fishing for salmon. An early lesson learned was never net the king salmon from the wrong end. Thorn enjoyed clam digging and crabbing with friends and family. He was also a member of the Poggie Club

Thorn and Ina have four children, Arlene, Debbie, Patty and Bruce. The family resided in Silverdale, Washington until 1989 before moving to Seabeck. By then all of the kids were grown and had families of their own. Thorn and Ina were some of the first to move up the "Mountain" and Thorn quickly made it known that the Cheyney's were in town. They lived off a generator for a while until Ina got fed up with having to go to the pump house during the middle of the night. Thorn then paid to have power brought up the mountain; I wonder where that motivation came from???

Thorn was preceded in death by his parents Thorn W. Cheyney Sr. and Ruby Marie MacAlexander, his wife Ina Fay (Steiner) Cheyney, his brothers Donald "Dode" Cheyney and John Cheyney, his sister Beverly (Cheyney) Miller, infant son Little Thorn and son-in-law Edd Bell. Thorn is survived by all of his children Arlene (Cheyney) and Jeff Comer of Gig Harbor, Debbie (Cheyney) Bell of Port Orchard, Patty (Cheyney) and Abe Pallanas of Silverdale and Becky and Bruce Cheyney of Port Orchard. Grandchildren Chas and Sean Brown of Hadlock, Amy and Toby Kilham of Port Townsend, Jesse and Kathy Shaw of Bremerton, Noal Hall of Ronan, Montana, Mike Bray of Richland, North Carolina and John Bray of Port Orchard and Great Grandchildren Briel, Emri, Hayzen, Chloe, Noah, Bo, Keenan, Roman, Anna, Oyrssa and Jorja.

Thorn W. Cheyney Jr. was a great man that exemplified his dedication to duty, the honor he upheld for his country and the love he displayed to his family and friends. Thorn will be sorely missed and that void will be left unfilled. His loving memories will be forever ingrained into our thoughts and the fond memories he left us will have to suffice for now. Dad we love you and just so you know we will all see you and Mom again. Love us.

Memorial Service at Crosby Chapel, 16404 Church Road NW, Seabeck WA 98380 at 2:30 pm on Sunday, September 22, 2013.