Elwood G. Dart

Elwood G. Dart of Moses Lake, age 77 was called home to be with the Lord on Sunday December 13, 2009 after a brief battle with cancer. He fought the disease with strength, courage, intellect, and on his own terms.  He spent his final days in the home of his daughter in East Wenatchee surrounded by his loving family.

Elwood was born November 15, 1932 in Rhinelander, WI at his aunt Lucille’s house. He was the oldest of six children born to Leslie A. Dart and Francis (Anderson) Dart. The family lived on a dairy farm in the Sugar Camp, WI area where Elwood attended elementary school and graduated from Three Lakes H.S. in 1950. Raised during the depression and WWII he learned the value of hard work, thrift and love of country. Elwood was a very good athlete and excelled in football, wrestling and baseball. He also was an excellent deer and bird hunter who would also catch large pike or muskies from many of the nearby lakes. Hunting and fishing would become lifelong hobbies that would accompany his later love of golf.

When Elwood graduated from high school the Korean War started and he joined the U. S. Air Force. From 1950-54 he served with the Strategic Air Command (SAC) at Fairchild AFB, Spokane WA. Flying in B-29’s and B-36’s as a gunner/electrician. He flew numerous missions around North America and the Pacific, and on one occasion was flying in a B-36 that dropped a hydrogen bomb over the Nevada Test Range.

While in the Air Force in Spokane Elwood met Betty Mae Burnett, where they had a wonderful courtship and were married in Peshastin, WA in 1953. This began a life long adventure and partnership. Betty, along with the G.I.Bill and internships put Elwood through college. Elwood graduated from Washington State College (Univ) in 1958 with a B.S. in Horticulture. He was a proud and loyal Cougar.

One of Elwood’s internships was with Wilbur-Ellis Co. (W-E), and upon graduation he became a full time employee and he grew along with the company for the next 37 years. During that time he opened offices and business for W-E in Moses Lake, Spokane and initiated operations in Walla Walla, Pasco, Umatilla, Palouse, Montana, North Dakota, and instigated the purchase of the H.R. Spinner Co. Elwood started as a salesman, later being promoted to Branch Manager, District Manager, Division Sales Manager and retired in 1993 as Director of Research and Development for Wilbur-Ellis. He enjoyed and excelled at the technical aspects of the crop protection industry, but the role he enjoyed the most, and was proudest of, was that of mentoring and coaching people. Elwood was also a creative marketer and developed the “Ideas to Grow With” motto of W-E. Wilbur-Ellis sent him thru the Stanford Univ. Executive program in 1975.

During this time Elwood and Betty adopted two children, Kenneth in 1959 and Denise in 1961. The family moved from Moses Lake to Spokane, Spokane to Kirkland and finally back to Moses Lake where the kids attended and graduated from school. Elwood and Betty retired in their beloved home on the lake in 1993.

Elwood and Betty traveled extensively including trips to Alaska, Hawaii, Europe, Africa, Australia, New Zealand and China. Elwood was active in the community of Moses Lake, including the United Methodist Church, tutoring students in after school programs, teaching senior citizens computer skills and co-chairing the WA State Potato Conference in Moses Lake. He loved spending time with his children and grandchildren who loved and adored him.

Elwood was preceded in death by his parents Leslie and Frances Dart and his brother Dennis Dart. He is survived by wife Betty of Moses Lake, children Kenneth (Cheryl) Dart Wenatchee, Denise (Chris) Goetz of East Wenatchee and grandchildren Bryant, Natalie and T. K. Elwood’s sister Nancy (Fred) Opie of Venice, FL, brother Bernie (Joanne) Dart, sister Karen (Dan) Stroede, sister in-law Carol Dart, all of Rhinelander, WI, sister Peggy (Earl) Thomas of Oregon, WI. Also, brother in-law Ben Burnett and sisters in-law La Rue McKellar and Virginia Burnett of Wenatchee, with 18 nieces and nephews scattered across Washington and the U.S.

A celebration of Elwood’s life will be held at the United Methodist Church, 746 South Ironwood Drive Moses Lake, WA at 11:00 am on Saturday December 19, 2009. Burial will occur at a later date with a family graveside service in Peshastin, WA. Memorials may be made to one of the following charities: The Youth/Senior Connection Endowment Fund (c/o United Methodist Church 746 South Ironwood Dr. Moses Lake, WA 98837), the American Cancer Society or the charity of your choice.