Good Guys Traditions

(Continued from previous page) youngest deck hand, one Marty (The Count of Cocktail) Olhiser (which translates to Pass the Courvoisier, Marty). Rounding out that first crew were a pair that were just leaming to Read and Write on their own, Bob (I'll buy lunch) Reid Jr., and the future record holder for representing the most companies at lunch, Mike (I'll work for anyone, anywhere) Parli.

Bardelli's on O Farrell Street was their clear-cut choice for luncheon fare. The common selection was stressed because of the reasonable economy of their offerings, the trek to and from would knot overtrim their ranks, and Inn would tolerate them.

Confirmation of their excellent selection was acknowledged in that the final tab was in keeping with lumber tradition, the food bill was much less than the drink bill; all attending agreed to "do it again, next year;: all at the restaurant agreed to have the group in a private room next time, and in recognition of the affair, the WWPA has each year scheduled their annual meeting of hundreds of lumbermen and women from all over the nation to be in San Francisco for the week of the lunch (we can only assume that more people hope to be invited).

And therefore it also came to pass that a final proclamation was uttered by the Proclaimer... "It was GOOD. GUYS !"

It's not all that surprising to have such a tradition in our lumber history. There are similar gatherings throughout the industry. Of course, there are business advantages to be gained in maintaining such fellowships, the current buzzword being "networking."

Be it across the desk, in the conference room, on the golf course, at the bar or over the lunch/dinner table, we just seem to be uniquely inclined to enjoy the company of the people in our business.

There are hardwood associations, wholesale lumbermen associations, retail building materials associations, all with long-standing traditions at the local, state and national levels everywhere in the country. They all hold frequent if not annual lunches, meetings and conventions.

This is still a people business, the lumber industry. While business remains business, surely a lot of business can be and is done in a social environment. It is most certainly more enjoyable when you genuinely enjoy the company of the folks you deal with. It's just one of the special things of our industry. That's a good thing, and it was again Good Guys this year.

Vern D. Thomas, 88, former partner in Greer & Thomas Lumber, Seattle, Wa., and Thomas Building Center, Sequim, Wa., died Feb. 24 in Sequim.

Mr. Thomas joined the Marine Corps in 1943, serving in San Diego until the end of World War II.

From 1952 to 1965 he was a part- ner in Greer and Thomas Lumber. In 1972 he, his wife Fran and his son Randall co-founded Thomas Building Center, and were named Distinguished Dealer of the Year in 2003 by Western Building Material Association.

He was also a member of WBMA's Forty-Year Club and a past president of the Seattle Lumbermen's Club.

Joseph E. King, 73, owner of Ideal Lumber & Hardware, Toppenish, Wa., died Dec. 5 in Toppenish.

Mr. King went into the U.S. NavY after high school as a torpedo man's mate, second-class. He joined ldeal Feed & Supply in 1953 and became owner and manager in 19'76, renaming the firm Ideal Lumber & Hardware.

Colly Pare, 92, former West Coast Lumber Inspection Bureau lumber grader and inspector, died Feb. 27 in Langley, British Columbia.

Mr. Pare worked in several British Columbia sawmills before movinq to Southern California in the late 1960s. He managed the western red cedar program for Ward & Harrington Lumber Co.'s Crown Plywood & Cedar facility, Garden Grove, Ca.

He also started and managed the cedar program at South Bay Forest Products, Orange, Ca.

He retired in the late 1970s.

Rudy Langer, 88, long-time Pacific Northwest lumber trader, died March 5.

Mr. Langer spent a large part of his career with Simpson Timber, Tacoma, Wa., and KMJ International. Edmonds, Wa.

Robert Basler, 81, former lumberyard and mill owner, died Feb. 25 in McCleary, Wa.

Mr. Basler owned Oakville Shake Co., from 1955 to 1985 and Chehalis Valley Lumber Co., Chehalis, Wa., from 1975 to 1985.

M. Lamont Bean. 79. former owner of Ernst Home Centers, Seattle, Wa., died Feb. 5.

With the assistance of his father, he started with a single Pay'n Save drug- store in Seattle and grew it into a corporation that would include a range of retail chains, including Ernst and Malmo Nurseries.

Pay'n Save acquired then-nine-unit Ernst Hardware in 1960.

Mr. Bean became president of Pay'n Save in 1959 and succeeded his father as chairman in 1980.

James '6Jimtt Horn, 65, pioneer home builder and former owner of several lumber-related firms, died of cancer March l1 in Modesto, Ca.

A native of Bakersfield. Ca.. he spent most of his life in Modesto, where he owned more than 17 businesses, including Li'l Guy Lumber, Liquidators Unlimited, and Horn Construction.

Wilbur L. '5Bill" Greibeler, 85, former director of planning for the APA, Tacoma. Wa.. died Feb. 20 in Forest Grove, Or.

Mr. Greibeler joined the American Plywood Association (then the Douglas Fir Plywood Association) in l95l as a field representative in San Francisco. Mr. Greibeler worked in sales with Harbor Plywood Corp. for two years before he rejoined the association in 1958 as manager of the agricultural field services department. He also held positions as assistant secretary, member relations director, and from l9l2 until his retirement in 1976, director of planning.

He also served during World War II as a U.S. Marine Corps officer in the Pacific and taught at Oregon State University Department of Agricultural Engineering for l0 years.

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"LAISSEZ LES Bon Temps Roulez" was the theme for the Mountain States Lumber & Building Material Dealers Association s annual Products Expo March 4-5 in Denver, Co. (1) Bill Waltersdorf, J_enny Chapparo, (2) Dave Hoglund, Mike LeMaire. (3) Matt Sherstad, Blake Tomlinson. Stacey Baidzicki. Keith Simpson. (4) Michelle & Jack Richard, Michelle Shuler (5) Gary Roth. Mickey Stroh, Curt Piper, Steve Page, Jim Disaverio. (6) Ken Hall Alan Hall. (7) Kendra Green, Johnie Pairlck. Craig Mart n (8) Er c Long. (9) Jerry Galles. (10) Rene Hutcherson, trttite f ipps. 1111 Becky Stairs.'Erik Zundel, Karen

Durfee.(12) David Heninger, Scotl Becker, Rod Jensen (13) A.shley Thomoson, Bob Kubinee. (14) Michael Hiqqinson. (15) Chuck Marler' Gary Wadhams, Jim Lacefield (16) John Biingelson, Mark Strait (17) Kee's Van Ervin. Karen Meredith, Glenn Lewis. (18) Jerry Sawyer. John Creed (19) Mike Wages, Jim Floyd, Jay Freed. (20) Natasha Rollins

Arleioh Peridelton (21i Ken Norev(0. Phillis Mullet, Robert Meador. (22)

JohriCooper, Stephan'ie Steckler. (23) Biian Giller, Craig Schumann. (More photos on next page. expo coverage on page 24)

ATTENDEES got,into the spirit of Mardi Gras at MSLBMDA's products e_xpl (gontinued from prevtous page). \1) Nancy Daniels, Bob Maurer, Dix e Tibbets 121 Lance Ctymer, Mati Robinsbn. (3) Clilf Edwards, George Wlttus ( ) il ke McKeon. Nancy Shumbat, Dan Steiner, Troy Mason. {5) Corey Chyr Shannon Chisholm, David Minor. (6) John Wanser. Brent Gwatney. Ted Greb. Jim Basler. (7) Robert Huison. Brit

Blalr (8) Rick Trot er, Betty Woods, Richard Brenchley. (9) Dan Anderson, Don Lewis. Seth Martin. (10) Toni Bevard, Bruce Lipps, Asa Johnson, Jon K mber, Carol Keliy, Dave Kile. (11) Adam Wade, Charlle Schadewald, Todd Harkness (12) Stacey Stroup, Dave Hyman. Barry Pennell. Steven Hisiop, (13) Cindy Hunt. Steve Gray, Val Courtier (14) Steve Gabrault. Crista IMillei Tom'Frank. Brent Volh6im