The last family owned funeral home in Thurston County.

David Arthur Ellison, born April 1, 1958, passed away Saturday, February 4, 2023, after a long courageous fight with his own body. He suffered from several ailments that in the end were too much to overcome. He passed away at his home on Pattison Lake, In Olympia, WA. He was preceded in death by his wife of 17 years, Joan Carlson Ellison, who passed away in August 2021. He was also preceded in death by his parents James and Ethel Ellison. He is survived by his five siblings.

David grew up in Royal Oak, Michigan, graduating from Kimball High School in 1976.  He attended Northern Michigan University.

David was a traveler in his younger years, a free spirit. He never met a stranger. He hitchhiked around the country, a time of innocence when so many other adventurers were exploring the world beyond the security of their home base.

He was a very talented finish carpenter, working on many high exposure projects, including the rebuilding of resorts in Kauai that were destroyed by Hurricane Iniki in 1992. He loved living in Hawaii.

He eventually settled down in Washington and purchased his home on Pattison Lake, the home in which he lived for decades.  He was known to his friends and family for being a hardworking, loyal, kind and fun-loving guy, the one who always shared a good joke.  He hosted annual opening season fishing parties on his property for years. It was the party his friends always looked forward to.

His passion was racing his 914 Porsche, of which he had a few. He owned Triad West Performance where he manufactured, in his backyard shop, custom Porsche mufflers. He was known worldwide for that system.

For those wishing to make a donation in Dave’s memory, please consider donating to Feline Friends who have graciously taken in David and Joan’s cats, Abby and Alex, at their adoption facility. A link has been provided for your convenience.

A celebration of life is being planned for late spring or early summer. 

Safe travels on this journey Dave. We can’t wait until we see you again.