Obituary of Gene Suryan Birth: Death: Please leave memories of Gene or condolences for his family in the Guestbook below.

Gene Suryan passed away peacefully on October 6, 2014 at his home in Lacey, Washington. He was born in Anacortes, Washington on September 1, 1932 to Katie and Little Joe Suryan. “Smiling Gene,” as he was called, was known for his gregarious nature and always had a smile for everyone he encountered. He is survived by his wife of 55 years, Maxine; his children, Tanya, Mark, Kate, Victoria, David and their spouses; his brother, Joseph; and his sister, Marie. He cherished his grandchildren, Sara, Levi, Brooks, Janelle, Madeleine, Kyle and Kate. The son of Croatian immigrants, Gene grew up in Anacortes, where his father was a commercial salmon fisherman and the family worked hard to survive. Gene was an honest, hard-working student who earned good grades in school. He was very mechanically adept and maintained a keen curiosity in learning how things worked, so much so that he would dismantle as many gadgets as he would repair. After high school, he spent a summer in Kodiak, Alaska, working long hours at a cannery, while spending his off hours becoming a table tennis champion in local tournaments. He went on to serve in ROTC and earn his BA in business at WSU. After entering the Army, he excelled in marksmanship and served as a 1st Lieutenant. Gene chose to pursue a career in banking because of his skills in math and his great desire to help people solve their financial problems. While beginning his career and eventually becoming a manager at SeaFirst Bank, he met Maxine King. They married in 1959 and lived in Seattle, Burlington, Aberdeen, and Chehalis where they raised five college graduates in criminal justice, mechanical engineering, international studies, education, and theatre. Ultimately, Gene and Maxine retired and settled in Lacey, Washington. One of the highlights of his life after retirement was to travel to Vela Luka, Croatia, his parents’ homeland and meet the Suryan relatives with whom his mother had corresponded for 50 years. Gene always had a keen interest in politics and loved engaging in animated discussions of world issues. With a deep appreciation for fine cuisine and good wine, his happiest memories are of being around the table with his children and their spouses, enjoying a delicious meal and spending hours conversing with family. He loved classical music and ensured that all five of his children had classical music exposure and instrument training. Gene also adored cars – reading about them, repairing them and frequently traveling great distances to attend car shows. He had a legendary love of walking and could walk for miles, including up Mount Rainier and along the seashore. Adept at remembering people’s names, he always heartily greeted anyone who passed him. Gene had an unabashed enthusiasm for life, an endless smile and a positive outlook that will always set him apart from everyone else. We love you, Dad. We will miss you. Please leave memories of Gene or condolences for his family in the Guestbook below.