Arthur Delmar Ingalls Jr.

In the beginning there was a boy named Arthur. Born in the Yakima Valley, the best place in the world to grow up, according to Arthur. The son of Delmar and Esther Ingalls and brother to sisters Myrna and Barbara. A post-depression childhood taught Arthur to hunt and gather for the family. Gathering eggs from the chicken coop and collecting vegetables from the garden. He mastered the art of catching bullfrogs (swamp chicken) which the family loved. When the news got around that the Ingalls were eating frogs, neighbors showed up with casseroles! This is a sample of one of the many stories Artie loved to share.

He was meticulous and dedicated. As a young man these qualities would earn him Eagle Scout. He lost an eye in a hunting accident when a buddy shot him. His masterful and ingenious problem-solving skills led him west to a career as an elite mechanic with The Boeing Company, even working on the B52. He met and married his first love Elaine and they had three children, Arthur, David and Laura. He loved camping and fishing, taking the family on many trips in their camper with ski boat in tow. He was a hard worker and a good provider.

Arthur was blessed to travel with Boeing on their world tour promoting the 737 and 747, even meeting the Shaw of Iran and Jackie O. Airplanes got in his blood, and he would get his small plane pilot’s license and rebuild a wrecked Cessna 180 in the families’ garage. With fishing and flying his passion he had a joint venture in a fishing cabin in Canada where he often flew to fish and crab with his buddies. He caught a marlin in Cabo and proudly displayed it on his living room wall.

After a successful career with Boeing, Art started Lakeview Appliance Repair using his mechanical skills to repair and rebuild appliances. He was fortunate to make calls on Steve Largent and Jim Zorn, counting them as friends and scoring Seahawk tickets for the team he loved. A service call to Lenny Wilkens would be a proud story he would, also, share. There wasn’t anything Art could not fix or a problem he could not solve.

Art was a tough guy, but the birth of his first grandchild Chance softened him. Then granddaughter, Danica, came along and he was mush. Barrett and Kieyn also made him proud. He enjoyed giving inventive gifts to his grandkids like one hundred one-dollar bills rolled up and pulled through a slit in a shoebox or hundred-dollar bills hidden in a can of nuts. He loved to watch the joy on his grandkid’s faces. Fishing trips to Alaska with Chance, baseball and soccer games, birthday parties, school events and Christmases with his grandkids, he was always there.

After the death of Elaine, Art moved to Friendly Village in Redmond where he would make friends with a lovely group of women. They took him to church and a continuation of the Bible study he did as a young man began to grow. He met his next-door neighbor, Bonnie, who at first did not like him! But friendship grew and love blossomed. It would be on Lori’s (Dave) wedding cruise that Art would propose. The two married and cruised through life together! They enjoyed cruises to Alaska, Hawaii and the Panama Canal. They traveled in their motor home and enjoyed their scooters. Lots of friends and events at Friendly Village kept them busy. Art always gave thanks for his wonderful family and was grateful to get a second one with Bonnie’s sons and families. And his family adored him!

Eventually they moved to assisted living with the realization that life was slowing down. But dancing and afternoon happy hours were still on the schedule. It was a joyous sight to see Artie on the dance floor with his walker. He wasn’t giving up! He loved to tell his stories and albeit a better talker than listener, he always found a listening ear. Even when life became difficult from hearing and sight impairment, Art was a trooper. He rarely complained and was always extremely thankful for the good long life he was blessed to live. Whenever asked how he was doing, he always responded with, “hangin in”. He felt he was luckier than just about anyone to travel the world and get paid for it, to have wonderful families, to fish and fly and enjoy the outdoors. Had he lived to be 100, he wanted to be the grand Marshall at the Toppenish parade. But at the same time, he was ready to go. Often telling Lori that he would go to bed and ask the Lord to take him, only to find out in the morning he woke up! After a fall and twelve days in the hospital, he would tell his three children that he loved them and would miss them. The next day the Lord would take him. Infamously he would always say “I’ve been there and done it, just don’t have time to do it again.”

Just like you always said to me papa, and now I say to you, “I’ll love you forever and I’ll miss you forever.” Rest in peace, till we meet again.

Arthur Delmar Ingalls

Born in Toppenish, Washington February 6,1927

Died in Kirkland, Washington March 10, 2025

Survived by his wife Bonnie Ingalls

Children: Arthur Ingalls, David Ingalls, Laura McNeil (Dave)

Grandchildren: Chance Philley, Danica Laine, Barrett Ingalls

Great grandson: Bear Ingalls

Preceded in death by Kieyn Ingalls