Obituary of W. Dirk Gum

W. Dirk Gum died of colon cancer on January 9, 2019 in Lacey, Washington.  He was born November 12, 1959 to Robert Dirk Gum and Jeanette Marie (Barner) Gum in Spokane, Washington. A longtime resident of Olympia, Washington, he also lived in Colorado Springs, Colorado, and Istanbul, Turkey for brief periods

Dirk graduated from Tumwater High School in 1979, and attended South Puget Sound Community College.  He married Rosie Denise Sanchez on October 11, 1981; they divorced in 1987.

Dirk served in the U.S. Air Force (1982-1988) as a Senior Airman with the Military Police.  Professionally, he worked for Olympic Arms (1989-1991), and with Washington State Department of Fish and Wildlife in computer technology (1994-2018).

Dirk had a great sense of humor, dry and sarcastic.  He was a high school football player, who also loved theater arts, home brewing, great food, and technology of all kinds. He also loved music and teaching himself to play various instruments.  He was a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

He is survived by his mother; sons, Jared Gum, Noah Gum, Dirk “William” Gum; five grandchildren and one on the way; brothers, Dale, Dennis, and Donald; and sisters, DeAnna, Dolena and Laura. He was predeceased by his father; and grandparents, George Barner Sr., Mary Mirable, Robert Dale Gum, and Chessa Ervin.

There will be a viewing at 12:00 noon on Friday, January 18, 2019 at South Sound Manor, 455 North St. SE, Tumwater, WA 98501.  The funeral service will begin at 1:00 p.m., followed by burial at 2:00 p.m. at Masonic Memorial Park.  A taco feed will take place at 3:00 p.m. at The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 1602 Ruddell Rd SE, Lacey, WA 98503.