It is with profound sadness that we announce the passing of Lanney Wixson on the morning of February 21, 2021 from COVID19.

Lanney was a lion-hearted, forever welcoming, conversation starting, island hopping, constant bird watching, life-long woodworking, world traveling, photography loving, and charitable, vibrant soul. He was also a fierce advocate, black licorice connoisseur, and bicycle enthusiast.

When a nurse in the hospital asked him what he did for a living, Lanney answered "I'm a dreamer."  His biggest dream was for his family to be ok and provided for.  Knowing this, it is of no surprise that he wrote his own obituary, which is as follows:

Born August 3, 1940, in Livonia, Michigan, 4th child of Homer and Selma Wixson, 7, 14 and 16 years behind my siblings, it was clear I was an accident. By then both parents were working, and my sister and I pretty much raised ourselves with virtually no supervision.

My big break came at age 11, when my Mom moved in with Bob Peretto. It was clear he loved me, cared for me, and in the next 7 years before he passed, I grew in his knowledge and mentorship. He gave me the vision to go to college and become something greater than my origins.

I attended school at a one-room schoolhouse up until high school. During my teenage years I lived on a farm near Metamora, Michigan, and loved it. We lived close to a Girl Scout camp and some nights us boys would sneak over to peep.

I spent 4 years as a varsity cheerleader at Michigan State University. Following graduation, my new wife Anne (Hughes) and I moved from the Baltimore/D.C. area of Maryland to the tiny town of Othello in Washington State to work for the USDA. Here we found ourselves surrounded by Hispanic families who adopted us as one of their own. We soon learned to love them and their culture.

To Anne, I owe my sense of culture. She taught me to appreciate music and ballet. She also gave me two wonderful children, Wendy Wixson a CPA in Bellingham, Washington and Heidi Wixson, a Software Developer at Central Washington University in Ellensburg, Washington. As I've aged, they have both become mentors to me.

In 1968, we moved to Mt. Vernon, Washington, where I left the USDA, because Anne and I knew right away that we wanted to raise our children in the caring environment of the Skagit Valley. In 1970, I became a Realtor. I began working at Johnson Realty in '72, and soon became their "trade-in" manager. I owe many thanks to Elliott Johnson for his support and enthusiastic guidance. By 1976, I owned my own real estate office, and spent the next 40 years working through various aspects of the business. In the early 80's, Hal Pullin came into my office and told me he wanted to work with us; though a lousy salesman, his thoughtful questions throughout the rest of my life provided invaluable insight and guidance.

Over the years, I transitioned from sales and land development; to private mortgage lending; to creating Security Investors with the support and guidance of Bob Linrothe, Bill Anderson, and LaVerne Krieger; to developing Chandler's Square Retirement Center in Anacortes with the help of Kent Haberley and members of Shelter Resources. The later support of Milestone Retirement Communities, helped us add three more facilities: Lighthouse Memory Care and Cap Sante Court Retirement Center in Anacortes, and Logan Creek Retirement Center in Mt. Vernon.

In 1988, I married my high school sweetheart, Karen Duncan. Her steadfast faithfulness and ability to point out pitfalls I was missing has been my greatest asset. I also acquired two more children she and her husband Ron had adopted before his untimely death from diabetes at an early age: Kristina Browning (a Realtor in Portland, OR) whose enthusiastic support throughout her life has helped all of us, and our business to grow and Kirk Duncan (Manager of Kay's Bar in the Sellwood neighborhood of Portland, OR) whose stability, thoughtfulness, attention to detail, and care for all of the people he meets, gives those around him a stable feeling of love and support. I have gained knowledge and strength from them all.

Throughout my life, I have been more spiritual than religious and have really tried to leave this place a little bit better than how I found it. My goal has always been to fill a human need profitably and in a way where everyone was a winner. I have been cooperative when I felt it had the greatest benefit for all, and as my daughter Wendy says, "pretty bull headed," when I felt the results were not in the best interest of my family or those being served. There were times when I failed, but mostly, I feel I was a productive and supportive member of the community.

As I leave this world I see many problems, but I also see many competent people who have the ability to listen to the science and make good decisions. My hope is that each of you will listen to them too and speak up.

~ Lanney Wixson

He is also survived by his sister, Betty Howe-Parham of Atlanta, Georgia, and is a beloved "Poppa" to grandchildren: Tiffany Chambers, Molly Rider, Blue Browning, Grace Duncan and great-grandchild, Parker Chambers.

Donations made in lieu of flowers will be used to honor a couple of Lanney's favorite causes: Cystic Fibrosis foundation www.cff.org or Diabetes Research Institute Foundation www.diabetesresarch.org .

There will be an intimate remembrance on Waldron Island and a larger celebration of life held at a later time.