Philip “Flip” Wingrove died Sunday, May 8, 2022, in Port Townsend, one month shy of his 92nd birthday.
Flip grew up with his two brothers in the logging town of Morton, where his father ran the local drug store and his mother was a homemaker. He earned his pilot’s license at age 17, and went on to receive a BA and MA in aeronautical engineering from the University of Washington, where he also played football (“fifth string running back,” he liked to say). He served in the Marine Corps as a naval aviator. After retiring as a captain in 1957, he began a 28-year career at Boeing as a flight test engineer.
During his time at the University of Washington, Flip met the love of his life, Ida Dennis; they were married for 66 years and together raised four children. He was an avid sailor: racing C-Larks in Lake Washington, cruising Northwest waters with the entire family, and sailing to Alaska with Ida in his Columbia 36. He continued to work as an aeronautical consultant, living for extended periods with Ida in Italy, Britain, and San Antonio, Texas. Other traveling adventures included trips to China, India, and Argentina.
A resident of Port Townsend for 33 years, Flip was a member of several local writing groups, wrote award-winning plays, and was recognized as Volunteer of the Year by the Jefferson County Historical Society. He was a man of great wit, compassion, intelligence, and kindness, and his being in this world was a gift beyond measure.
In addition to Ida, Flip is survived by his daughters, Elizabeth Wingrove (Kelly) and Suzanne Wingrove-Haugland (Erik); grandchildren, Chris, Ky, and Travis; two great-grandchildren; and many nieces, nephews, and cousins. He was preceded in death by his daughter, Lelia; and his son, Mark.
A celebration of Flip’s life will be held at a later date at Unity of Port Townsend.
