Jeffrey Lowell Lemon

Jeffrey Lowell Lemon was born April 28, 1953, to Ernie and Mary Lou Lemon. He passed away unexpectedly on November 18, 2018. Jeff was the oldest of four children. Jeff grew up in Pateros and as a child enjoyed fishing with his father at Alta Lake, and camping trips with his family.

Jeff graduated from Pateros High School in 1971 and developed lifelong friendships with his fellow students, which many of whom still live in the Pateros and surrounding areas and have so many memories of their good friend.

During the summer of 1969, Jeff and many of his friends joined The Chelan County Forest Service where he served as a member of the Wiley Coyote Crew. He had several jobs while living in Pateros, including a stint with the United States Post Office, where Jeff delivered the daily mail to the rural areas of the Methow Valley. Jeff also worked for several other business in the area, Bob Darlington excavation and Steve Varrelman BTO Construction.

By 1975, Jeff was ready to move on. He had several friends who were living in Alaska, where it seemed, jobs were plentiful. In January of 1975, Jeff and his childhood friend, Gregg Wagg, left Pateros in a blinding snow storm and headed to Seattle. From Seattle they boarded a plane, flew to Anchorage, and that was the beginning of Jeff’s “Great Alaskan Adventure”. Between 1975-1976 Jeff worked for Wein airlines in Prudhoe Bay where he was a leadman in the cargo department. In August of 1976-July 1978 Jeff worked for the university of Alaska Naval Artic research Laboratory in Barrow, Alaska. Jeff was a Field Operations Supervisor where he planned and coordinated logistical support for scientific research.

After a couple of years working in Barrow, Jeff returned to Anchorage and got a job which took him to Antarctica where he worked on the Ross Island Shelf Project. Jeff was the camp manager of a very ambitious drilling project. He loved Antarctica and always wanted to go back. Feb.1980 he worked for the UW Polar Science Center of Naval Research establishing and constructing 3 camps on multi-year drift ice, NE of Greenland. After that, in 1983, Jeff went to work for Alaska Airlines, Jeff became very active in the International Association Machinists and aerospace Union. Jeff served as Union, shop steward, negotiator, and shop committee, where he represented his fellow workers with diligence and respect. After 34 years, he retired from Alaska Airlines in 2017. Jeff’s Family especially His father was very proud of him for all he had accomplished.

Jeff loved Alaska and spent the rest of his days, enjoying Photography, Polar History, Kayaking, Scientific Research, hunting, fishing and the many friends he met. Jeff returned to Washington on occasions to visit family and old friends, but Alaska was always his home.

Jeff was a very independent, self-reliant man, and that was how he lived his life. He loved his friends and family, but he also enjoyed his solitude. There were times when Jeff needed and wanted to be alone, other times he truly enjoyed time shared with those he loved. We will all love, remember and miss Jeff forever.

Jeff was preceded in death by his father, Ernie, and many grandparents.

He is survived by his mother Mary, siblings: Jennifer (Jim) Evans, Joe Lemon, Juli (Mike) Comer. As well as nephews; Jed, Skylar and Jayde, nieces; Sosha, Fawna, Brittany, and Madison, several great nieces and nephews.

The family would like to invite Jeff’s family and friends to join them in celebrating his life with a potluck to be held at the Methow School in Methow, Wash. on April 6, 2019, at 11 a.m.