Obituary of Dennis Harold Iverson

Dennis Harold Iverson was born on June 27, 1949, in Seattle, Washington, to Dorothy and Harold Iverson. The family lived in South Seattle until Dennis was in 8^th grade, at which time they moved to Thurston County. Dennis graduated from North Thurston High School and delighted many years later that daughter Emily also graduated from NTHS.  Dennis attended Grays Harbor Community College and the University of Washington, lived briefly in Bellingham, and eventually ended up back in rural Thurston County.

 

Dennis married Lisa Trowbridge in 1977. He and Lisa bought the lake house on Lake St. Claire in 1978, had their first child Ryan in 1979, Christian in 1982 and Emily in 1984.  Dennis supported his family as a commercial electrician and was a member of the IBEW. He was also instrumental in helping NOVA School get off the ground by remodeling both buildings and supporting his wife’s dream in many quiet ways.

 

Dennis was good with his hands, could fix pretty much anything if he wanted to, wanted others to understand how tools were designed for their specific function, and was a student of science. In younger years, he loved team softball and, later on, backyard whiffle ball. He got a kick out of the horse races. He liked to carve and said that his creations came from following the wood itself, not something he forced. He enjoyed listening to music. He avidly followed the news. He watched what the grandkids called “Cowboy Shows.”  And Dennis totally loved his dogs, of which there have been many. But most of all, he was an observer and lover of the natural world.

 

Dennis’ life was integrally intertwined with the home and property on Lake St. Claire where he and Lisa raised their family. As far as he was concerned, there was nothing better than living on the water, and the daily experience of living so close to nature. He was exceptionally observant of the reflections, the movement of the water, the owls hooting in the woods, the changing wildlife, the light. Like with everything else, he was not one to intervene or try to control nature; as the years went on, he was content to let the property “go back to jungle.” Dennis lived at the lake house for 43 years.

 

Dennis was an observant, quiet man who was not inclined to share his thoughts and feelings with more than a few words.  But to anyone who knew him, it was clear that his family was the joy of his life. In his words, “watching his children grow” was his greatest pride.  He knew that all three of his children “had their heads screwed on straight” and he believed that his role in later years was to quietly and steadfastly support anything that was important to them. He was interested in their friends. He would comment quietly to Lisa about things he noticed or wondered about the kids, but he would never intervene.  He relished his growing brood of grandchildren, and loved them more than any one of them will ever know. He saw his grandchildren as the future.

 

Dennis passed away April 30, 2021, in Olympia, Washington. His legacy lives on in his family. 

 

He is survived by his wife, Lisa Iverson; their three adult children and six grandchildren: Ryan Dennis Iverson ( Arija Iverson)  and their children, Dashiell Ryan Choi, Tycho Teodors Iverson, and Sigrid Valija Iverson; Christian Iverson (Hayden Todd); and Emily Anne Iverson (Shane Griffiths) and their children, Sawyer Shane Griffiths, Pierce Kelly Griffiths and Willow Anne Griffiths. He also is survived by his sisters, Jeannette Iverson, and Leila Wilson; and his brothers, Randy Iverson and Kevin Iverson.

 

There will be a celebration of Dennis’ life on Saturday, July 24, 2021, at 4304 Lake House Lane.

Contact the family for more information. 

 

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