David Wayne Wilhelms passed away on Tuesday, June 2, 2020, at his home in Aberdeen, Washington.

David was born Sept. 18, 1949, to William Henry and Thelma Zelene (Fouke) Wilhelms in Dixon, Illinois. Oregon, Illinois, was the hometown of the Wilhelms family.

David graduated from Oregon Community High School in 1967. He started playing trumpet in the fourth grade and was awarded the John Phillip Sousa Award his senior year.

David continued his education at Illinois Wesleyan University in Bloomington, Illinois. He studied Applied Trumpet under Norman Hessert.

He met his future wife, Patricia Sue Parrott, at Wesleyan during his senior year, and the two were married Aug, 14, 1971, at Sinnissippi Gardens in Rockford, Illinois, in an outdoor ceremony.

The two used their honeymoon to move to Port Angeles, Washington, camping all the way. David had been accepted into the Peninsula College Forestry Technology program. He became a log scaler on April 15, 1973.

David’s entire career was in the log scaling business. He worked for Puget Sound Log Scaling Bureau, Grays Harbor Log Scaling Bureau, Columbia River Log Scaling Bureau and Sierra Pacific Industries as Western Washington Check Scaler. He held positions of scaler, check scaler, supervisor, office manager and systems manager.

The trumpet was never very far from David’s reach. He played briefly in the Port Angeles Symphony Orchestra before accepting a transfer to ITT Rayonier’s Crane Creek Log Yard near Aberdeen, Washington.

Both Pat and David became active members in the Aberdeen music community, participating in summer musicals together. David continued by playing in many of the local performing groups. Pat became a very well known and well loved high school Choral Director at Aberdeen High School.

David was a member of the Dukes of Swing Big Band, Grays Harbor Symphony Orchestra, Olympia Symphony Orchestra, Aberdeen Elks National Band, Grays Harbor College Concert Band, Grays Harbor Civic Choir, Grays Harbor College Jazz Ensemble, Cantabile Ensemble and several small groups. He sang in the Hoquiam Presbyterian Church Choir and Saron Lutheran-First Presbyterian Church Choir. Pat and David played many weddings as a trumpet and organ duo.

He was a member of Aberdeen BPOE Lodge 593, Aberdeen Lions Club and Master Gardeners.

Pat preceded him in death. They had no children, but were “cat people.” Donations to PAWS of Grays Harbor would be appreciated.

Following David’s wishes, the memorial service will be held at Saron Lutheran First Presbyterian Church in Hoquiam once we can gather together again.

To share memories please visit www.harrisonfamilymortuary.com