Peter Vern Lakoduk

July 10, 1935 – March 29, 2017

Our beloved Peter Vern Lakoduk, age 81, passed away at Lake Havasu City, Ariz. on March 29, 2017. Pete was born July 10, 1935 in Minot, N.D. to Peter J. and Molly (Dobowey) Lakoduk. The family moved to Vancouver, Wash. in 1942, then to Coulee City, Wash. in January 1950 where his family farmed. In February 1953 when Pete was 16, his father, sister and uncle were killed in a car accident, so he quit school to continue farming and help at home. On April 9, 1955, Pete married Gwendolyn Carter of Ephrata, Wash. They settled in Ephrata and raised five children. In his early years Pete worked in the lumber mill industry and in 1963, he and an old-time miner built a log cabin from logs he specifically milled for this project.

To further his career in 1964, Pete went to Big Bend Community College while working as a janitor for Grant County PUD. He eventually worked his way up and retired as Chief Operator of Wanapum Dam in 1993. Pete was a self-driven man, a perfectionist, a very hard worker his entire life and one who wasn’t afraid to try new things, even if they were difficult and challenging. Even while working a full-time job, his second construction project was a home in Westmont Acres for his family of seven. Pete built several homes over the years that he was proud of. His final home was built in Coulee City on a piece of property inherited from his parents. Building this home fulfilled a promise he had made to his father before his death.

Pete made his choice to serve the Lord in 1978 and was baptized in 2007. His passions were geology, gold prospecting, and fishing. After retirement Pete and Gwen became snow-birds, purchasing a home in Quartzsite, Ariz. where Pete continued his gold prospecting. After Pete broke his hip in 2013 his health began to decline, so in 2014 they sold their homes in Quartzsite and Coulee City, and moved to Pasco, Wash.

Pete is preceded in death by his father and mother, brother Davy and sister Patricia (Patsy). He is survived by Gwendolyn, his wife of 62 years; daughter Vernalyn (Lewis) Hunt; sons Kevin Jay (Tanya) Lakoduk, Ervin Quinn Lakoduk, Everett Lee (Silvia) Lakoduk and Craig Vern (Jacquie) Lakoduk; 14 grandchildren; 15 great-grandchildren; brothers James Alan (Yvonne) Lakoduk and Larry Lee (Emily) Lakoduk; brother-in-law Dr. Jean (Cindy) Carter; sisters-in-law Myra Anderson and Jo Welke and many nieces and nephews.

The memorial service will be May 6, 2017 at 1 p.m. in the Ephrata Recreation Center, 112 Basin St. SW, Ephrata, Wash.