Jackson Samuel Cyr

Jackson Samuel Cyr Sr.,
loving father, grandfather and
great-grandfather, passed away
peacefully at 4:27 a.m. on June
23, 2016, in Kirkland, Wash.,
with Jill Ziegler and Lynn Brix
at his side.
Jack was born to Laura Katherine Leeper and Jacob
Richard Studebaker on Jan. 28, 1926, in Lakeview,
Wash. His mother later divorced Jacob, married Fred
Albert Cyr, divorced Fred, and then married Fred’s
brother, Joseph Levitte Cyr on Sept. 3, 1938, in Orofino,
Idaho. Jack adored Joe Cyr, and asked if he would
adopt him, which Joe did in 1942. Jack even paid for
the adoption. From that moment on Jack’s last name
was forever changed from Studebaker to Cyr.
Jack married Winona Ellen Athos on June 5, 1944,
in Orofino, Idaho, and graduated from Wallula High
School that same year. They had the following four
children: Jackson Cyr, Jr. was born March 19, 1945,
and passed at the age of 55 on Nov. 27, 2000, Cara
Ann Cyr was born June 29, 1946, and passed away
a few weeks after a surgery at Children’s Hospital in
Portland on Nov. 9, 1946, Jill Michaelene Cyr Ziegler
was born Jan. 30, 1948, Joseph Jules Cyr was born on
April 1, 1951. Jack’s first wife, Winona, passed away
on April 11, 1986, after 42 years of marriage.
Jack had two careers. He worked for the Green Giant
Cannery for about 20 years in Waitsburg, until his
back was injured around the age of 40 and was advised
by his doctor not to return to the cannery. Then
he applied and worked for the United States Postal
Service as a postal carrier for over 20 years. He would
walk 11 miles every day, delivering mail to businesses
in downtown Walla Walla, and was known for riding
his bicycle to work each day. Some people in Walla
Walla still remember him to this day as their cheerful
mailman and a great guy.
For vacation, Jack would hunt for deer and elk in the
Blue Mountains, parking his camper and trekking far
and wide, and most years came back with one elk or
deer, or even an occasional bear. Above all, Jack loved
to hunt in the mountains and bicycle around town.
To make extra money Jack developed his own “recycling
route.” In those days Walla Walla did not have
a recycling program, so Jack would contact various
businesses and arrange with them to pick up their recyclables
on a particular day each week. Before dawn
each morning he would ride around town, pulling a
cart behind his bicycle and collect the recyclables. He
would bring them home and organize them into neat
piles, folding the cardboard, crushing the aluminum
cans, etc. At the end of each month he would haul it
all in his truck to the recycling depot in Pasco, and
trade it for cash. The proceeds would cover his gas
and leave a little left over.
After the death of his first wife and retirement, Jack
married Arvilla May “Arlie May” Katsel on May
30, 1987. They moved out to the Katsel ranch along
the South Fork of the Coppei River. Jack helped his
parents-in-law, Beula Sornson and Earnest “Ernie”
Lovell Katsel, farm until they could no longer manage
the farm. All four of them moved back to Jack’s
house in Walla Walla so he and Arlie May could care
for Beula and Ernie. After Beula passed away on
March 16, 1990, the three of them moved back to for
the Katsel ranch, where Ernie later passed away on
July 19, 1997. Jack continued his hobby of recycling,
and in 2006 he was honored as Waitsburg’s Citizen of
the Year for his efforts.
In 2012 Jack and Arlie May moved from the Katsel
ranch to Garrison Creek Lodge assisted living facility
in Walla Walla. On April 13, 2015, Arlie May passed
away due to a 10-year battle with Alzheimer’s disease
after nearly 28 years of marriage to Jack.
Twice widowed and retired, Jack was moved by his
granddaughter, Christina Cyr, near her house in Bellevue,
Wash., in February 2015.
Jack is survived by his sister, Althea Spencer; his
daughter, Jill Cyr Ziegler; his son, Joseph Jules Cyr;
his former daughter-in-law, Susan Daniel; his former
daughter-in-law, Sung Hui Morel; his grandchildren,
Christina Cyr, Jackson Cyr, III, Robert Cyr, Lee Cyr,
and Kendra Ziegler Knight; and his great-grandchildren,
Cole Page, Winona Cyr, Ivan Cyr, Avery Cyr,
Morgan Manier and Rowan Knight. Jack was preceded
in death by his daughter, Cara; his wife, Winona,
his son, Jack, Jr.; and wife, Arvilla.
In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made
to Jack’s favorite organization, the National Rifle Association.
A viewing and visitation will be held from 10 a.m. to
7 p.m. on Friday, July 1, 2016, at Herring Groseclose
Funeral Home on 315 W. Alder St. in Walla Walla. A
burial and graveside ceremony will be held the following
day on Saturday, July 2, 2016, at 10 a.m. at
Touchet Cemetery in Touchet.
All are welcome to attend.