Jerrel Bland

Jerrel Glen Bland passed away on May 28, 2025, at Aegis Assisted Living in West Seattle. Jerrel was born in LePanto, Arkansas, in 1930, and moved to the Rio Grand Valley of Texas in 1939. Jerrel graduated from Texas A&M with an engineering degree before shipping overseas to Korea from Fort Lewis in 1954. After completing graduate studies at the University of Texas, Jerrel went to work at Boeing as a guidance system specialist. Jerrel married his childhood sweetheart, Bea, and they moved to Vashon Island in 1958, where they brought up their 3 daughters surrounded by Jerrel’s beloved forest. Jerrel worked for Boeing for 34 years and in his retirement he and Bea traveled the world fulfilling dreams they had shared together over travel booksin high school. Jerrel was an active member of the Methodist church throughout his life which included singing in the choir and being an occasional soloist. Jerrel loved the Pacific Northwest and spent his free time skiing, hiking, camping and climbing the surrounding mountains or flying over them as a small plane pilot. He stayed fit by running and ran in the Strawberry festival’s 10K for many years. He loved his life and his family and will be dearly missed. He is survived by his wife, 3 daughters, 5 grandchildren and 2 great-grandchildren.