Gene Derig,78, resident of Anacortes, died on Thursday, December 15, after a brief illness.  Born to Matthew and Ina Derig, Gene was raised in Tacoma with his four sisters.  After graduating from Franklin Pierce High School, he completed a degree in forestry at Washington State University.  He was then drafted into the U. S. Army and served two years in Germany. After his honorable discharge, Gene began a varied work career, which culminated in work with wildlife with the U. S. Department of Agriculture.

His family and friends remember with gratitude his long years of civic engagement. He believed in being a good citizen, and to him that meant promoting good government, particularly at the local level. Gene used his voice and his pen for the causes he championed and encouraged others to do the same. When he saw an issue that needed addressing, he wrote a letter to the editor. He attended meetings of the city council and planning commission. Gene actively supported voting rights and get -out-the-vote efforts. Before the recent midterms, he wrote over 1000 letters encouraging voting.

Responsible stewardship of the environment mattered to Gene, who advocated for the preservation of the farmlands of Skagit County as well as for the forest lands of Anacortes.  He provided sanctuary for backyard birds, both year-round residents and those passing through, especially the swallows.  Remember Gene when you catch sight of the many nesting boxes he built and placed around Anacortes.

He regularly phoned or wrote letters to the friends he'd made at various stages of his life, and he fostered strong relationships with his nieces and nephews, even when separated by many miles. Gene was the one who answered his niece's letters to Santa Claus, the fun-loving uncle who participated in family performances of kid-authored plays, and the attentive adult his teenaged nephew could turn to for counsel or just a sympathetic ear.

His family and friends treasure the memory of his incredible quirky, goofy sense of humor and his steadfast willingness to lend a hand and recommend a good book.

Gene asked that in lieu of flowers any donations in his memory be made to the Anacortes Community Forest Lands , to Wolf Hollow Wildlife Rehabilitation Center , or to a favorite charity.

Gene is survived by Marilyn, his wife of 48 years, by his sisters Lorraine Derig, Margaret McMenamin, Genevieve Butkey, and Maureen Derig, and their families; by the Musgrave, Lingwood, and Wells families; and by his faithful dog, Wilson, as well as many friends.

We miss you, Gene. To share memories of Gene, please sign the online guestbook at www.evanschapel.com/obituary/gene.derig