— from Jim Biddick —
David Thomas McPeake was born October 16, 1938. On August 17, 2020 he died in Mount Vernon, Washington of heart failure.
Orcas Island certainly changed for the better when David T. McPeake arrived on Orcas Island around 1998 with wife Lina McPeake. Both moved to Orcas from California and shared a love for old houses, real estate investments and renovation.
David was an incredibly hard-worker on his own do-it-yourself projects and as a landlord, but also always found time to give time and money to his community’s needs. He was often spotted in attendance at music concerts and other island events such as fairs and fundraisers.
David was a fixture in the Orcas Island Lions Club always seemingly first to volunteer for projects such as the White Canes Days, blood drive, Easter Egg Hunt, Run for the Grub fundraiser, annual salmon barbecue event, Camp Horizon and more. It was not uncommon to see him first and last for any event that raised money for a good cause.
The Lions Club honored Dave last year for his contributions to the Club and the community by naming a Lions Club Scholarship in his name, for which he was astonished and so pleased.
As a founding member of the Orcas Island Food Bank, Dave would make regular trips off island to pick up the government subsidies and operate the Food Bank every single week so that others less fortunate would have provisions. The Orcas Island Chamber of Commerce recognized his contributions several years ago by making him and Lina – Grand Marshals of the Fourth of July parade.
He will be long remembered for his east-coast accent, hearty laugh and a warm smile – always. A memorial service will be held Monday, August 31, 2020, 12:00 noon in the chapel at Hawthorne Funeral Home. Please share your thoughts of David and sign the online guest register at www.hawthornefh.com.
The ferry departs Orcas Island at 8:55am arrives Anacortes at 10:00 a.m. Departs Anacortes at 2:35 p.m. and arrives at Orcas Island at 3:25 p.m. To send a flower arrangement to the family, or to plant Memorial Trees in memory of David Thomas McPeake please click here to visit our Sympathy Store.
David and Lina will both be remembered for Lion’s and for their general good will on the Island!