Dwayne Arthur Langland was born on September 15th, 1926, in Lake Preston, South Dakota.
He passed away on Vashon Island on April 6th, 2017, at the age of 90.
Dwayne’s family, including his grandparents, and many aunts, uncles and cousins, migrated to the Northwest in the early 1940s in search of a more prosperous life. They found that life on Vashon Island where his father Art, began work as a home builder. Dwayne and his four siblings entered the local schools and he graduated from Vashon High School in 1944. He entered the University of Washington, affiliated with Lambda Chi Alpha fraternity, and earned a degree in Civil Engineering.
After several years of dating, he married a local girl, June Bargelt, in 1949. He claimed for the rest of his time on earth that this was the single luckiest break in his entire life. Their 67-year marriage was a true and enduring love story. Dwayne was lucky again in 1951 when he bought a $1.00 raffle ticket for the grand opening event of Larson’s Marina in Burton. He won the grand prize: a 19 foot Skippercraft boat with motor. This began a life-long passion for boating, water sports and family adventures.
Dwayne went to work for the U.S. Army Corp of Engineers right out of college, and remained with them for his entire 40-year career. One of his first projects was the design of the fish ladders at the Ballard locks. Eventually, for his career, he and his family moved to Frankfurt, Germany, where for years he helped design and maintain a wide variety of government buildings. Later assignments included several years in Virginia and then to Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Although they missed their Vashon Island home for 20 years running, Dwayne and June took full advantage of this opportunity to travel through Europe, Africa and the Middle East. Dwayne retired in 1989 when he and June enjoyed a two-month car trip across the United States, visiting numerous relatives and friends met while living abroad.
Upon resettling into their Vashon home, Dwayne’s first purchase was another motor boat and a membership at The Quartermaster Yacht Club. He enjoyed years of cruising, “boat-talk” and fellowship with the group.
When he was not boating, Dwayne loved music and sang with the Seachordsmen Barbershop Chorus and, until a few years ago, the Vashon Island Chorale. He was an active member of Vashon Lutheran Church since his youth, and a former member of the Vashon Health Center Board. Dwayne most recently lived at Vashon Community Care where he received daily loving care for his health conditions related to Parkinson’s Disease. He will be remembered as a sweet-tempered man with a kind, outgoing and agreeable nature.
Dwayne was preceded in death by his parents Art & Ina, brother Ken and sister Betty. Survivors include his wife, June, sisters Mary Lou and Maxine. Surviving also are his four children Gayle (Jeff), Tom (Mary), Paul (Shannon) and Jann(Dave) along with ten grandchildren and twelve great-grandchildren.
The family suggests memorials to Vashon Community Care Foundation or the Vashon Lutheran Church. A memorial service is planned at Vashon Lutheran on Saturday, April 22nd, at 11:00am
Please visit our online guest book at www.islandfuneral.com
