June 14, 1940 – March 21, 2025

Rick Galer was born in Seattle on June 14, 1940. He was raised in View Ridge and Madrona and graduated from Queen Anne High School after attending Marymount Military Academy in Tacoma.

Rick was a Jack of all trades. His first job was as a Lifeguard at Alki Beach, which fueled his love for the sea. After a couple of years as a medic in the coast guard and a snow skiing trip through Europe, he settled down and started a family. This brought him to a job at Heisdorf & Nelson (poultry breading) in Redmond, the Computer Center Corporation (yes, the computer time-sharing place that Bill Gates started out in) in the U District, and finally to starting a carpentry business called Woodworks, based in Issaquah. When he moved up to Friday Harbor in the 1980s, he became a firefighter, eventually becoming the Fire Chief and then the San Juan County Fire Marshall. One of the parts of being Marshall that he was most proud of was taking the ATF Arson training in DC.

Throughout his life he had many passions. He was an avid snow skier who worked Ski Patrol at Stevens Pass & Crystal Mountain, and taught skiing at Snoqualmie Pass. On the water he skied, barefooted, parasailed, and sailed all over the NW. He loved sailboats so much that he even lived on a couple of them. One big sailing trip to the Queen Charlotte Islands in BC was featured on Exploration NW. He also loved reading and researching. His curious mind was thrilled by the advent of the internet.

His wood working skills were ever present as he created wooden puzzles that he sold at many Bellevue Arts and Crafts Fairs. Anything he ever crafted had his special flair, and many of his friends and family will cherish those creations knowing we won’t be receiving any more special gifts from him.

After breaking his leg snow skiing a few years ago, he gave up his early morning swims and workouts, his occasional 5K races and weekly ferry boat rides, to live near family on an island with a bridge. Since that move, he found joy in mowing his acreage on the tractor, riding his 4×4 with the dogs, enjoying a good meal out with a nice beer and ice cream.

Rick passed away unexpectedly on March 21, 2025 while in the hospital in Anacortes for an illness. He was 84 and is probably pretty upset that he did not make it to his goal of 100. He will be “buried at sea” like any true captain should.

To share memories of Rick, please visit www.evanschapel.com/obituary/rick-galer.