Denis C. Keyes, age 83, died April 4, 2024 in Port Townsend, WA. He grew up and went to high school in Bothell, WA, moving on to a career with the City of Seattle. In 1989, after he retired as Fleet Manager from Seattle City Light, Denis and his wife, Cathe Clapp, bought property in Port Townsend to watch ships come into Puget Sound and drink Port Townsend Brewery Scotch Ale.
Dink and Cathe met scuba diving with the Marker Boys Dive Club of Seattle. Mountain to sea adventures abounded in his life including skiing, hiking, bicycling, sailing and kayaking, and fishing and crabbing throughout the Northwest United States, Canada, and Central and South America. He spent one summer sailing around Vancouver Island. He became an avid photographer, taking and developing pictures from above and below the water. He once rode a mule named Lauren down the Grand Canyon for a night at Phantom Ranch.
He fulfilled his love of learning and sharing knowledge by teaching automotive technology at Shoreline Community College earlier in his career, and recently as a docent at the Port Townsend Marine Science Center where he logged over 2,000 volunteer hours. He read Astronomy magazine monthly and loved having others look through his telescope. He would be pleased to know that he was cremated during the eclipse. Among his projects are a 1974 Volkswagen that is ready for a paint job and new convertible top and a Pygmy kayak with hand-painted Northwest Coast formline designs. Fossils and rocks fascinated him and he recently expressed a desire to open a “rock shop”.
At-home fun for Dink included gardening, raising chickens, making soups and baking, filling bird feeders non-stop, and playing cribbage. He is famous for his mile-high blueberry pie recipe from the original Fannie Farmer Cookbook, and for 40 years of making yeast-raised pancakes using his own blend of home stone-ground flour. The “I Love Dink’s Pancakes” Facebook page has grown to 126 members over the years.
Denis was preceded in death by his parents, James B. and Hazel A. Keyes, his stepmother, Kay Keyes, and his first wife Frieda Button Keyes (with baby). In addition to his wife Cathe, he is survived by his siblings, Bob (Marsha), Joanne Croghan (Don Mannino), Diane Keyes, Thom Keyes (Teri Elrand), Jamie Keyes (Wende) and dozens of nieces and nephews. He is also survived by his acquired daughter, Susanne Wunsch Mallard in Germany, and his dog, Stanley Roger. His local in-laws include Betsy Clapp and Kristi and Randy Kendrick.
Denis’ large web of family and friends will celebrate his life on June 1 st from 1pm to 4pm at the Port Townsend American Legion Hall.
In lieu of gifts or flowers, donations may be made in his memory to the Port Townsend Marine Science Center (ptmsc.org) or the Parkinson’s Foundation (parkinson.org).
