Another well-known West Seattleite has died. Seven years after finally retiring from his Admiral District service station, Dick Barnecut is gone. We just received this remembrance from his family:

Richard J. Barnecut died peacefully in his sleep early Sunday morning, November 8, 2020. “Dick” was born in Seattle on July 20, 1926, and was the oldest son of the late George and Imogene Barnecut. Dick’s father was part of a large clan (sixteen children!) that first settled in Seattle in 1889.

Dick graduated from West Seattle High School, Class of 1944, and was the right-fielder on the city championship baseball team of 1943. He enlisted in the United States Navy immediately after graduation and was honorably discharged two years later after serving as a radioman and gunner on a PBM seaplane. He married his high-school sweetheart, Dolores “Dee” Anderson, in 1947. They first met in junior high school and Mom must have overcome her initial impression of her future husband as “pretty obnoxious” because they were married for 68 years before her demise in 2015. Dick and Dee resided in West Seattle for all of their married life.

In 1953 Dick took over the ownership and management of the West Seattle service station business his father established in 1924. It is unlikely that Dad spent any time writing up a “business model” but he definitely had a philosophy: The customer comes first. A frequent reminder to his employees regarding the clientele was that “we need them more than they need us.” His authentic commitment to customer service and a tireless work ethic explain how a small business survived for almost ninety years.

Dick’s involvement in the community was not merely as a businessman. He was a longtime member of St. John the Baptist Episcopal Church, the Monogram Club of West Seattle, and he was a member of the Lions Club for sixty years. He contributed generously, and often, to numerous local charities.

Mom and Dad shared an optimistic, positive outlook on life. They worked hard but they made time to play as well and they had fun together. They owned a vacation home on Hood Canal for many years and they were loyal supporters of Husky football as season ticket holders for five decades. They were not extensive world travelers but they did visit Europe, which included Paris and the ancestral home of the Barnecuts in Cornwall, England.

Mom and Dad emphasized that family came first. And they meant it. By setting a good example, they gave to their children perhaps the greatest gift of all.

Dad will be remembered as a “people person” and it was not an act. He continued working late into life and it was an open secret that it was not the work that he liked so much as it was the opportunity to schmooze with his many longtime customers. In his later years there were some indications that the filter was not fully operational. However, those who really knew him would freely attest to his fairness, his integrity, and his tolerance.

Dick truly loved his wife, his children, his grandchildren, his country, and West Seattle. His passing is a loss for his family and the community and he will surely be missed.

Dick is survived by his four adult children and their spouses: Margaret (Paul) Abrahamson, James (Jamie) Barnecut, Mary Ellen (Ron) Smulski, and Andrew (Lisa) Barnecut. He is also survived by his six grandchildren: Tom Smulski, Jill Deimling, Jenny Abrahamson, Rachel Barnecut, Nick Barnecut, Angelina Barnecut, and his great-granddaughter, Kate Deimling.

A celebration of Dick’s life will have to be deferred due to COVID concerns. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations can be made to: West Seattle High School Alumni Association Scholarship Fund, 4742 42nd Ave SW, #215, Seattle, WA 98116; or St. John the Baptist Episcopal Church, 3050 California Ave SW, Seattle, WA 98116.

Please visit www.emmickfunerals.com to sign the guest book.

(WSB publishes West Seattle obituaries by request, free of charge. Please email the text, and a photo if available, to editor@westseattleblog.com)

Family and friends are remembering Diane Creighton, and sharing her story with the community here:

Diane Lovell Creighton passed away unexpectedly from a heart attack on July 18 at her home in West Seattle.

Born in Seattle on Oct. 19, 1938 to Alfred and Anna Finch, Diane spent her entire life living, working, and raising her family in the West Seattle area. Growing up, she attended Lafayette Elementary School, James Madison Junior High School, and graduated from West Seattle High School in 1957.

It was in history class at West Seattle High where Diane met her future husband, James “Jamie” Creighton. She spent many weekends and evenings cheering him on at football games, both in high school and into his college career.

Although Diane pre-dated Title IX opportunities her own daughters benefitted from in sports, she was a fierce competitor on the high school bowling team, as well as on the ski slopes and in the water, waterskiing with friends.

Much of Diane’s youth was spent working alongside her mother at her parents’ grocery store (Al’s Market) on California Avenue. The lessons of hard work and business management helped shape who she was personally and professionally.

Diane worked for more than 40 years as the office manager for Southwest Pediatrics in Burien. There, she enjoyed watching generations of families come through the office.

An active gardener, Diane spent countless hours working in her yard, creating a haven for hummingbirds, which she enjoyed watching from her kitchen windows. She also loved watching football with Jim, cheering for (and critiquing) the Huskies and Seahawks.

Diane and Jim were married for 57 years, much of the last 10 spent with Diane caring for Jim in the final stages of Parkinson’s disease. Her dedication is a testament to their love and commitment to one another – in sickness and in health. They were devoted parents, raising strong and independent women reflective of their own upbringing in West Seattle.

Diane is survived by her two daughters, Jocelyn (Chris) McCabe and Jennifer Creighton; and grandson Ryan McCabe. She was preceded in death by her husband, James N. Creighton; her parents Alfred and Anna Finch; and her brother, Alfred (Al) Finch.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Medic One and Seattle Children’s Hospital.

A joint memorial for Jim and Diane will be held in West Seattle when it is safe for all to gather and remember these two remarkable people – hopefully sometime soon.

(WSB publishes West Seattle obituaries by request, free of charge. Please email the text, and a photo if available, to editor@westseattleblog.com)