Reynolds (Ren) E. Jerome passed away on Sunday, Aug. 16, 2009 while doing what he loved most — salmon fishing. He had gone to Ilwaco and was out on a charter boat, had a fish on and was reeling it in when he suddenly collapsed. Attempts to revive him failed.

Ren was born in Seattle on May 15, 1937. His parents, Frank and Ruth Jerome, bought a beach cabin on Sunlight Beach in 1939, where the family lived every summer.

Ren immersed himself in the beach life. He always felt that Whidbey Island and Sunlight Beach was his home. He had his first motorized boat by the time he was 10, and he learned how to fish from his father.

Salmon fishing was a life-long passion. He loved the outdoors and was also a hiker, mountain climber and skier.

He graduated from Roosevelt High School and earned a bachelor of arts degree in business from the University of Washington. He began his career in banking, but didn’t take to office work. He became a sales manager for the American Express Co.–Travelers Check Division, covering Washington, Oregon and Alaska.

He then went to work for the William A. Gore, Co. selling steel shelving and pallet racking to businesses, including a brand-new business called Microsoft. Later in life, he sold luxury yachts, and lastly worked in a tackle shop.

In 1971, he married Carol Barton Taylor. They moved permanently to Whidbey Island in 1991, where they live overlooking Sunlight Beach.

Ren is survived by his wife of 38 years, Carol; his sister Lynn Philpot (Jim) of Orinda, Calif.; his daughters, Wendy Cordova (David) of Issaquah and Freeland, Jill Swanson (Greg) of Bellevue; nieces Stacy Monowitz (Steve), Christy Aune (Drew), nephew Tim Opdycke (Cathy), all of California. His grandchildren Adam Cordova, Jeremy Cordova and Cooper Swanson will miss Grandpa’s fish stories and tales of his adventures in nature.

Ren preferred not to have a funeral, so there will be only a private burial at Bayview Cemetery. A celebration of his life will be held for family and friends from 1 to

4 p.m. Sunday, Aug. 23 at the Mutiny Sands home of his daughter Wendy.

Memorials in Ren’s name may be made to Fish Northwest (360-791-1882) at PO Box 14399, Olympia, WA 98511. Fish Northwest is an organization that promotes the conservation and recovery of salmon in the Pacific Northwest.

Please visit www.Visserfuneralhome.com if you like to share your favorite memory about Ren on the online guestbook.