David Pimley
David Pimley, 52, died peacefully at his home in Fairview, Ore., on June 9, 2009, with Karlyn, his wife of 30 years, by his side, after a courageous battle with cancer.
The middle of three sons, he was born on July 15, 1956, in White Salmon, to Steve and Marjorie Gayle Pimley.
In 1974, Dave graduated from Lyle High School in Lyle, where he was raised. He was married to Karlyn Darby on Sept. 30, 1978. He worked as an industrial sewing machine mechanic for Jantzen, first in Hood River until that location closed, then in Vancouver. After many years at Jantzen, Dave began his own business servicing and selling commercial sewing machines for sailboard manufacturers, which afforded him the opportunity to travel to South America and other international locales. At the time of his death, he worked for Electro Scientific Industries (ESI), a manufacturer of high-tech equipment in Portland.
Dave loved the outdoors and had an infectious spirit and sense of adventure: He raced motocross in his youth; was one of the first to take up sail boarding in the Columbia River Gorge; and continued throughout his life to pursue his love of motorcycles (he recently refurbished his first road bike, a Kawasaki KZ900). He enjoyed kayaking and canoeing with family and friends in the boats he built himself; flying radio-controlled aircraft with his dad; gardening at his home in Fairview; and spending time with his beloved cat, Teddy.
Survivors include his wife, Karlyn Darby Pimley; his parents, Steve and Gayle Pimley of Lyle; his brothers, Rick (Pam) of Goldendale, and Scott (Linda) of Lyle; his grandparents, Dick and Sylvia Merrell of Tygh Valley, Ore.; his father- and stepmother-in-law, Jerry and Jaci Darby of Portland,; and numerous sisters-in-law, brothers-in-law, nieces, nephews and cousins.
A service to celebrate Dave's life will be held Saturday, June 27, at 2 p.m., at the Lyle Lions Club Community Center, Highway 14 at 5th Street in Lyle. His family requests that, in lieu of flowers, donations are sent to the Oregon Humane Society, Mercy Corps, or Medical Teams International. For links to these organizations, to view touching stories and pictures shared by Dave's family and friends, and to offer condolences, visit Dave's Blog at http://pimley.wordpress.com.
