Rees ‘Skip’ Kimble

June 4, 1939 — Dec. 11, 2012

Rees Hawkins Kimble, better known as “Skip”, died peacefully in his home on Dec. 11, 2012, after a 17-year journey with cancer.

He was born in Annapolis, Md., on June 4, 1939, and spent his youth living in many areas of the U.S. where his father’s military duties took the family. He joined the Army in 1959 and became a Russian linguist, having spent a year at the Army Language School in Monterey.

After his discharge from the army, he earned bachelor’s and master’s degrees in electrical engineering from Clemson University, and in 1965 started work at Boeing in Seattle, designing air-to-ground missiles.

After tiring of military work at Boeing, he obtained a master’s degree in business administration from Seattle University. This allowed him to transfer to the commercial airplane side of Boeing in 1974, as an engineering analyst, where he stayed until retirement in 1995.

He met and married Patricia Dyre in 1967. They lived and worked in the Seattle area until retirement in 1995, and came to live full-time in the San Juans, first on Brown Island and then San Juan.

Together they enjoyed music, sailing, skiing, hiking, wine-touring, puttering around the property, and volunteering in the community. They had quite a ride and were married 45 years.

Skip is survived by his wife, Patricia Dyre Kimble, and two sisters, Cornelia Kimble Rozmajzl and Roberta Sue Kimble. He was preceded in death by both parents; by his brother, Robert Carlisle Kimble, Jr.; and by two sisters, Joan Kimble Diederich and Madelyn Kimble Foley.

Memorials may be made to the charity of choice.

A private gathering to celebrate Skip’s life will take place in early summer.

— Family of Skip Kimble