West Seattle, Washington
24 Tuesday
(Photos from texter who says, “Westwood mystery artist has been spreading holiday cheer”)
Merry Christmas today, Happy Hanukkah tonight! Here’s info we hope will be useful on this holiday:
BUSES: Metro‘s running on the Sunday schedule.
WATER TAXI: Not sailing today.
STATE FERRIES: Weekend timetable today – check the alerts page for status/changes.
MORE TRANSPORTATION NOTES: No charge for street parking in areas of the city with pay stations … West Seattle-relevant traffic cameras are here; see all cameras citywide via this map.
COFFEE SHOPS OPEN TODAY: We found eight – here’s our list. (Plans can change after our research, so if you encounter a change, please text or call us – 206-293-6302 – thank you.)
RESTAURANTS AND BARS OPEN TODAY: Fifteen are on our list – see it here. (And please let us know of any changes!)
GROCERY STORES OPEN TODAY: Again this year, as noted in our Holiday Guide, only the three Safeways (Roxbury, Admiral, Jefferson Square) are open (8 am-5 pm) – all other West Seattle grocery stores are closed until tomorrow.
CHURCH SERVICES TODAY: Four of the churches on the list in our Holiday Guide have Christmas Day services.
OTHER NOTES: Trash/recycling pickup is delayed one day for the rest of the week (next week too) … Seattle Parks closure info is here … Libraries (city and county) are closed.
SEE A MOVIE: The Admiral Theater (2343 California SW) is open this afternoon/evening – first screening of the day, 3 pm.
ASTRA LUMINA: Celestially inspired light show continues tonight on the grounds of the Seattle Chinese Garden at the north end of the South Seattle College (WSB sponsor) campus, opening at 5 pm. Timed tickets and info here.
OTHER LIGHTS TO SEE: Scroll through our archive to see the local homes we’ve shown all month!
If you see/hear news, please text/call 206-293-6302 – we appreciate your tips and collaboration every hour of every day and night!
A texter identifying themselves as veteran radio personality Bob Rivers‘s longtime agent sent that link – a new video featuring one of his popular holiday spoof songs, taking on Christmas lights and starring West Seattle’s best-known well-lit house. So if you’ve wearied of singing along with “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas” and/or “Joy to the World” after the 20th time, check this out. (And explore Rivers’s “Twisted Christmas” discography.)
On this Christmas Eve, a decoration display that evokes the Christmas wish for “peace on Earth”:
This winter scene at the “Candy Cane Pole” will breathe a sense of stillness into your soul. With its crisp white forest and Deer a-grazing, you will be taken back to a simpler time. Can you spy Santa peeking out the window?
Stop and pause awhile at 6303 45th Ave SW
Mr and Mrs Winter Merriment
To see what we’ve shown previously, scroll through this WSB archive!
We asked SPD about an incident logged just after noon Monday because its classification on the call map suggested it might have been a shots-fired incident, and the address was near Pathfinder K-8 on Pigeon Point. The police report says someone called in to report finding two bullets on the ground on the trails just outside the campus, “on the path that comes from 20th Avenue SW leading south to the school through the woods.” This was further described as a trail “outside the large fenced property to the west of Pathfinder School.” Police arrived and took the two unspent 9mm bullets; the person who found them said they hadn’t seen anyone around or near the bullets.
One more mystery to solve on this Christmas Eve, a little too urgent for our regular lost/found board. From the WSB inbox:
Stolen/opened Christmas gift with two framed kids’ photos and more. Found yesterday above the ferry dock near Fauntleroy Creek overlook. Damp then, now dried out and in good condition. Do you recognize these youngsters or the pottery studio photos?
We can connect you if these are yours – westseattleblog@gmail.com – thank you.
1:26 PM: The last few times orcas have passed West Seattle, the weather’s been drippy. Not today. Kersti Muul says they’re southbound near the north edge of Elliott Bay at last report, so if you have time, get out those binoculars and head be ready to head out if they don’t turn around.
2:57 PM: See comments for updates!
(WSB photo)
Checking the city’s online files for notable development proposals hasn’t yielded much lately, but we keep checking anyway, and found one this week: An early-stage proposal that has four old brick duplexes on the east edge of The Junction, west side of the 5000 block of Fauntleroy Way SW, slated for demolition, to be replaced on the 31,785-sf site by 28 new residential units – 20 townhouse duplexes and eight standalone houses. Off-street parking would be along the alley to the west. The stretch of Fauntleroy Way between The Junction and Morgan Junction has been slowly redeveloping for years, primarily into townhouses, but mostly a few units at a time; the size and scale of this makes it noteworthy. County Assessor files do not yet show a record of sale for the parcels, whose addresses range from 5029 Fauntleroy to 5045 Fauntleroy [vicinity map], but the developer is listed on the site plan as IS Property Investments and the architect is listed as David Cone. Again, this is an early-stage proposal, so it’s not in any official review phase yet.
(Thanks to Clay for the photo from Gatewood)
Our daily “what’s happening” list is in part a list OF lists today, with info we’ve been compiling as Christmas Eve/Day approached. So that’s where we begin:
GROCERY-STORE CLOSING TIMES: Most supermarkets close early tonight. This list is in the Christmas Eve/Day info atop our West Seattle Holiday Guide.
RESTAURANT LIST: Our list of restaurants open Christmas Day includes some info on Christmas Eve.
COFFEE-SHOP LIST: Same goes for the coffee list.
LAST-MINUTE SHOPPING: We invited businesses to let us know if they’re open Christmas Eve. We have a few in the Guide. (Not too late to add – post a comment)
CHRISTMAS EVE CHURCH SERVICES: We’ve heard from a dozen churches with services tonight (and beyond), also listed in the Guide.
Here’s what else we have – some are regular listings, so, apologies if there are Christmas Eve changes we weren’t notified about – let us know!
LIBRARIES CLOSED: Seattle Public Library has a systemwide closure today and tomorrow.
FAUNTLEROY CHURCH FESTIVAL OF TREES: On this Christmas Eve morning, you can go see the decorated trees in the Fellowship Hall at Fauntleroy Church (9140 California SW), until noon, and “vote” for your favorite(s) with nonperishable food donations.
POSTCARDS 4 DEMOCRACY: Long-distance advocacy via handwritten postcards sent to voters in other states – the work continues post-election – drop in 10:30 am-noon at C & P Coffee (5612 California SW; WSB sponsor), all welcome.
HOLIDAY MUSIC AT THRIFTWAY: 11 am-2 pm, Alex Baird serenades shoppers at West Seattle Thriftway (4201 SW Morgan; WSB sponsor)
WEST SEATTLE RUNNER TRACK RUN: Canceled tonight – shop’s closed today and tomorrow.
BINGO AT THE SKYLARK: Canceled tonight – venue’s closed.
TRIVIA X 5: Five regular trivia options for Tuesday night – see the calendar and let us know of any cancellations.
Hosting an event, seasonal or otherwise? Tell your West Seattle neighbors via our event calendar and/or Holiday Guide – just email info to westseattleblog@gmail.com – thank you!
9:13 AM: From the WSB inbox this morning:
Our Christmas cards were delivered to the wrong address yesterday and we’re wondering if the blog could help? They are labeled correctly, but a certain delivery company dropped them at the wrong house! (Photo attached – this isn’t our front porch!)
We’ve driven the few streets surrounding our house to check similar house numbers, but no matching house exists… is there a chance that the blog could help crowd-source finding our missing cards?
If you got them by mistake – contact us (westseattleblog@gmail.com or text 206-293-6302) and we’ll connect you!
2:39 PM: Nick says “the house has been located.”
6:01 AM: Good morning! Welcome to Christmas Eve – Tuesday, December 24th.
WEATHER + SUNRISE/SUNSET TIMES
The rain is expected to take a break during much of the day, but it’ll be breezy, high in the low 50s. Today’s sunrise/sunset – 7:56 am (just one minute short of the latest sunrise of the season) and 4:22 pm.
(One more look at winter’s first sunset – Saturday photo by Chris Frankovich)
NO SCHOOL
One more mention that school’s out this week and next.
TRANSIT, INCLUDING HOLIDAY-SCHEDULE PREVIEW
Water Taxi – Regular service today, no service tomorrow.
Washington State Ferries today – 2-boat service on the Triangle Route with M/V Issaquah and M/V Cathlamet, plus M/V Sealth as the “ghost boat.” Check here for last-minute changes. Weekend timetable tomorrow.
Metro buses today – Regular schedule today, Sunday schedule tomorrow.
3 ROAD-WORK UPDATES
*The Admiral Way Bridge seismic project has paused work this week; one week from today, on December 31, the traffic flow is scheduled to shift again.
*The Delridge pedestrian-bridge earthquake-safety project has largely wrapped up, and the bridge is now open again.
*Beach Drive gas-pipeline work continues into January, PSE tells us – here’s our update.
SPOTLIGHT TRAFFIC CAMERAS
High Bridge – Here’s the main camera, followed by the Fauntleroy-end camera:
Spokane Street Viaduct – This view usually looks westward, with eastbound lanes at left and westbound lanes at right:
Low Bridge – Looking west:
1st Avenue South Bridge:
Delridge cameras: Besides the one below (Delridge/Genesee), cameras are also at Delridge/Juneau, Delridge/Henderson, Delridge/Oregon, and video-only (so you have to go to the map), Delridge/Holden and Delridge/Thistle.
MORE TRAFFIC CAMS: All functioning traffic cams citywide are here; West Seattle and vicinity-relevant cameras are on this WSB page.
See trouble on the bridges/streets/paths/water? Please text or call our hotline (when you can do it safely, and after you’ve reported to authorities if they’re not already on scene) – 206-293-6302. Thank you!
(WSB photos)
Over the past decade-plus, hundreds of residents of the Arrowhead Gardens senior-living complex in southeastern West Seattle have “warmed up a lot of feet,” as resident council president Diane Radischat describes it, donating more than 12,000 socks to people in our area. At a party tonight, they hosted this year’s recipients:
25 members of the Duwamish Valley Youth Corps came to Arrowhead Gardens to enjoy pizza, cookies, cocoa, and cider, and to choose presents for their families – not just some of those socks, but also hand-knit blankets, handmade jewelry, and other items geared for all ages so they could find something for everyone in their families.
The gift items for the youth to choose from were all donated by residents – including almost 1,000 socks – donated at a recent Christmas brunch, Radischat explained (she’s second from right below, with, from left, some of the other organizers, L-R, Joe, Diana, and Marty):
Over the years, the Arrowhead Gardens residents’ donations have gone to shelters, tiny-house villages, and the West Seattle Food Bank‘s Clothesline. This year’s recipients, the Duwamish Valley Youth Corps, are deeply involved in their community too, with the program including outdoor work from tree planting to raingarden construction.
Thanks to Jeff for the Christmas Eve-Eve lights spotlight photo! He emailed to say: “For the young and young at heart. Merry Christmas, Mom!” This display is at 5420 40th SW and if you zoom in on the photo, you’ll see many familiar Christmas-character faces … Santa, Rudolph, “Bumble,” Frosty, Grinch, Snoopy, among others. We still have a few more in queue, so check in on Christmas Eve, Day, maybe beyond … and scroll through this archive to see what we’ve already shown!
Thanks to Ian for the photo and tip that signage is up at 4719 California SW, where Taqueria Guaymas closed three years ago, with the building’s then-new owners announcing they wanted to open their own restaurant there. Now, after a few pre-opening name changes, signage has just gone up and the restaurant is close to opening. Signage on both sides of the building carries the name Indofusion Kitchen and Bar.
The owners, of both the building and the future venue according to online documents, are the Virk family, who also operate Maharaja in The Junction. Work at Indofusion is continuing; we asked on site tonight about estimated opening date, and were told that they’re hoping to be open by New Year’s.
MONDAY: We got questions over the weekend about this year’s second wave of social-media rumors that Pecos Pit was closing. This time, they were true – a reader tells us last night was the finale, and tonight this sign is posted at the 35th/Fauntleroy location:
It’s been almost 10 years since we first reported that the barbecue restaurant was moving into the Seattle City Light-owned location previously occupied by teriyaki restaurants (Beni Hoshi, preceded by Yasuko’s). The site is now in the path of West Seattle light rail’s planned Avalon station.
ADDED MONDAY NIGHT: With the Alki Café eviction, this is the second West Seattle restaurant closure in less than two weeks. Meantime, a check of court files shows cases against Pecos Pit involving their Kent location – described online as the company HQ – and Federal Way. The Kent case was filed as an eviction (“unlawful detainer”) action in September, and as of October alleged that the company owed more than $72,000; earlier this month, a motion for garnishment was filed, alleging no payments had been made. The Federal Way case alleges breach of lease.
TUESDAY UPDATE: We asked the property owner, City Light, about their plan for the site post-Pecos Pit closure, and whether they had been current in their rent. Here’s the response we received from SCL spokesperson Jenn Strang:
As a public utility, we have the responsibility on behalf of our ratepayers to ensure the timely, in-full payment of any lease agreements for City Light property. We have worked with the restaurant ownership to accommodate their needs over several years, but in recent months have needed to enforce the lease terms through the proper legal process. We will focus on the removal of the business’s possessions from the location prior to making any decisions about its future use.
Nate Little from Lariat Bar does the honors at Rat City Tree Lighting
You can demonstrate the West Seattle Giving Spirit today for a nonprofit that’s worked tirelessly for more than a century to connect and uplift neighbors: The Highland Park Improvement Club. We’ve been bringing you this special holiday-season opportunity to learn about, and support, some of our area’s nonprofits, in partnership with the Learning Communities Foundation, and today, HPIC is telling its story:
When a tragic fire was started outside the Highland Park Improvement Club (HPIC) building in 2021, the community mourned a gathering place that, in the words of one of our neighbors, “is open and welcoming to all and respects where everyone is in their life.” The club is much more than a building. HPIC has been a community-owned non-profit for over 100 years. We exist to enhance the quality of life in the neighborhood by providing an inclusive gathering place, hosting neighborhood programs that celebrate the diverse arts and culture we represent, and fostering community engagement.
We are now fundraising for the HPIC Rebuild Project, which will construct a new performing arts and community event space on the foundation of the old building. The rebuilt HPIC will have an elevated performance stage with an expansive dance floor, a brand-new accessible mezzanine, an improved community kitchen, rain gardens, and solar energy generation. The new upper level includes additional gathering space, administrative offices, and storage.
Before the pandemic, HPIC hosted low- to no-cost concerts, art shows, holiday markets, dance classes, and celebrations with as many as 530 participants in a month. HPIC used the pandemic shutdown to start a vital food distribution program, while accomplishing necessary renovations. We were almost ready to reopen, only to be closed by the fire.
Even without a building, HPIC has been working hard to stay connected within the community, growing organizational capacity, and hosting community events. HPIC’s 2022 Reset Fest at Riverview Park drew over 300 people with games, arts and crafts, community speakers, and three bands, including Eva Walker of The Black Tones, who is a KEXP DJ and author of The Sound of Seattle: 101 Songs that Shaped a City.
We asked Eva what she thought about the need for all-ages community arts spaces like HPIC. “As someone who was born, raised and Seattle-bred, I owe my success to the opportunities I had as a young musician performing in all-ages spaces. I was able to develop my music confidence, as well as connect with lifetime colleagues. As a new mother, my priority is to hand down music opportunities for my little girl Hendrix (yes like the guitar player). Community-led, all-ages venues like Highland Park Improvement Club are extremely valuable and necessary.”
This year, HPIC expanded the organization by adding nine new highly qualified and dedicated board members, all of whom live in the neighborhood. Four long-standing and experienced Board members remain.
In 2025 HPIC will restart programming to engage our neighborhood! We plan to offer free, all-ages community programming while opening our “doors” to partnerships with local artists and other arts and culture organizations. Please visit our website to become a sustaining HPIC member, sign up to volunteer, or donate to our Rebuild Project.
DONATE
VOLUNTEER
LEARN MORE
QUESTIONS? Emily Schauer fundraising@hpic1919.org
We have two more West Seattle Giving Spirit spotlights for you – next one on Friday. Learn about all the nonprofits we’ve already featured by scrolling through this archive!
The WSB West Seattle Holiday Guide already has a long list of Christmas Eve church services but if yours isn’t there yet, there’s still time for us to add it. Also, we invite businesses that plan to be open on Christmas Eve to send their hours, in recognition of our fellow procrastinators (or maybe you just didn’t have the time). In both cases, the best way to send the info is westseattleblog@gmail.com – thank you!
P.S. The Holiday Guide already has grocery-store info for Christmas Eve/Day as well as links to our lists of restaurants and coffee shops that are open at least one of those days.
(On the Duwamish River – photo by Don Brubeck)
Pre-holiday quiet is settling in, but we still have these events from the WSB West Seattle Event Calendar and Holiday Guide (if there are any cancellations we haven’t yet heard of, please text 206-293-6302):
GIVE THE GIFT OF LIFE: Blood-donation pop-up in West Seattle today – check if appointments remain.
FAUNTLEROY CHURCH FESTIVAL OF TREES: Another chance this morning to go see the decorated trees in the Fellowship Hall at Fauntleroy Church (9140 California SW). “Vote” for your favorite(s) with nonperishable food donations.
LIBRARIES’ LAST DAY BEFORE HOLIDAY CLOSURE: Seattle Public Library facilities are closed Christmas Eve and Day, so today’s a good day to visit.
CHRISTMAS COOKIES: “The Christmas People are again be collecting homemade Christmas Cookies at West Seattle Coworking, 9030 35th Avenue SW, Monday, 23rd and Tuesday 24th from 10 AM to 4 PM. Cookies may also be dropped off at our main kitchen location, Artisan Community Kitchen, 10836 East Marginal Way S.,Tukwila, daily through Tuesday, Dec. 24: 9 AM to 5 PM. We are hoping for 9000 cookies which will be assorted and distributed daily to 12 shelters and centers. Also food preparers and drivers are needed. Please call us for information. Fred Hutchinson and Ruth Bishop, co-founders. 206-719-4979″
THUNDER ROAD GUITARS: Open 11 am-5 pm for that tuneful last-minute shopping! (6400 California SW; WSB sponsor)
NORTHSTAR POP-UP: Added shopping 11 am-2 pm at this West Seattle pop-up closing out a longtime Pike Place Market business. (7138 30th SW)
ASTRA LUMINA: Celestially inspired light show on the grounds of the Seattle Chinese Garden at the north end of the South Seattle College (WSB sponsor) campus, times vary. Tickets and info here.
GET CRAFTY: 6-10 pm, Monday is “Crafting and Creativity Night” at The Missing Piece (9456 35th SW), info here.
D&D: Weekly D&D at 6:30 pm at Meeples Games (3727 California SW). All welcome, including first-time players.
LISTENING TO GRIEF SUPPORT GROUP: 6:30 pm with Tamara Kubacki, meeting at Mama Be Well Healing Studio (4034 California SW). “Grief groups are brave and safe spaces where bereaved people can share their stories and speak their loved one’s name without fear of getting advice, platitudes, or being shut out, no matter how long it’s been since their loved one’s passing.” – you can attend once or multiple times. Fee. Preregistration requested – our calendar listing explains how.
COMMEMORATION OF 1910 CHRISTMAS TRUCE: 7 pm at Highland Park Community of Christ, a non-sectarian history presentation – from our detailed calendar listing:
On Christmas Eve 1914, the guns of World War I fell silent. All along a 500-mile front soldiers wandered into No Man’s Land to meet their enemies, armed only with curiosity and good wishes. The wildcat ceasefire was a spontaneous outbreak of peace in one of the most unlikely places.
2024 is the 110th anniversary of this incredible event. A non-sectarian commemoration of that occasion, and a reflection on peace in our own time, will take place December 23rd at the Highland Park Community of Christ church building (8611 11th Ave SW). Doors will open at 6 pm, with the program starting at 7 pm, ending around 8:30.
(8611 11th SW)
MONDAY NIGHT TRIVIA! Three places to play tonight! 7 pm at The Good Society (California/Lander); 7 and 8 pm Sporcle Pub Quiz at Three 9 Lounge (4505 39th SW); 7:30 pm with QuizFix at The Skylark (3803 Delridge Way SW)
MEDITATION IN FAUNTLEROY: Monday night meditating – free weekly Zen sitting/meditation in the chapel at Fauntleroy UCC (9140 California SW), 7 pm-8:30 pm.
MUSIC AT THE ALLEY: The Alley in back of Bonjour Vietnamhas music Monday nights, with The Westside Trio, 8 pm at The Alley (behind 4509 California SW), 21+, no cover.
MONDAY KARAOKE 9 pm, it’s Monday night karaoke at Talarico’s Pizzeria (4718 California SW).
If you have a West Seattle/White Center event to add to our calendar, and/or our Holiday Guide, please send the info to westseattleblog@gmail.com – thank you!
Family and friends are remembering Gary Moore and sharing this remembrance with his community:
Gary Lee Moore
August 1, 1944 – November 6, 2024Gary Lee Moore was born on August 1, 1944, at West Seattle Hospital in the Junction. And for his entire life, he never strayed far from West Seattle — it was always home. He moved up the hill in 1994, West Seattle remained his heart and soul. Gary lost his father, Harry, in a shop accident when he was just 15 years old, but with his mother May and older sister Sharon by his side, he navigated life with a mischievous spirit and a love for adventure.
As a child and teenager, Gary was a rascal, always finding trouble and stirring up mischief. He and his best friend, Jeff, once stole all the street signs in the Fauntleroy neighborhood and hid them in Gary’s mother’s basement. Weeks later, a local officer jokingly asked Gary what they were planning to do with all those signs, and Gary was stunned—he couldn’t figure out how they had been caught. He and his friends knew all the local officers well, and they were often on friendly terms. In fact, one of his favorite pranks involved trying to steal the cow from the top of a local grocery store using his mom’s clothesline. For Gary, life was always full of laughter and adventure.
He attended school in the West Seattle area, where he played baseball throughout his childhood and eventually added football to the mix. However, Gary didn’t get along with his football coach and as an adult, when Gary moved into a new house on the hill, he discovered that his new neighbor was none other than Coach. With a chuckle, Gary said, “Well, I guess God isn’t done with me yet.” It wasn’t long before the two of them became friends.
Gary graduated in 1962 and went on to work at Junction Feed and Seed and in pest control for a local friend’s father. But it was his apprenticeship with the Boilermakers Union, which he completed almost right out of high school, that set him on his true path. After earning his journeyman’s papers, Gary worked in the shipyards during shutdowns in Alaska before finding a long and fulfilling career with Seattle City Light. He worked there for over 40 years, developing a reputation as a dedicated craftsman and a genuinely good person.
Gary was part of the smaller group that kept his high school class together. Every five years, they organized reunions that were always well-attended, with Gary at the heart of it all. He made sure to keep track of everyone, calling and checking in with his classmates to ensure no one was left behind. These reunions were filled with laughter and fond memories. Gary also played an active role in the City Light Employees Association (CLEA), helping organize picnics, parties, and the annual Christmas luncheon. Even after he retired, he stayed involved with the Retired CLEA board. He was the ultimate people person, never meeting anyone he didn’t like.
Gary’s family was the most important part of his life. He married Paula, with whom he had two children — Jarrett and Shamayn — who were his pride and joy. In 1993, Gary married the love of his life, Lynne Boyce, in a ceremony at Lincoln Park in West Seattle. Gary often joked with his steel crew that one day he’d marry the boss’s daughter. When Lynne became his boss at Seattle City Light, Gary quipped, “Well, I guess I’ll just marry the boss.” Together, Gary and Lynne shared a deep love for one another that lasted throughout their marriage.
Gary loved his work at Seattle City Light, where he had the rare privilege of going places few people ever see — working deep inside dams, climbing transmission towers high in the mountains, and hanging off the side of microwave reflector dishes 1,500 feet above the ground. He was a gifted welder and a highly skilled craftsman, but more than that, Gary was a social hub. He was so popular that people often sought him out for advice or simply to enjoy a good conversation. He worked with a group of people he considered more than just co-workers—they were a second family. Their camaraderie grew as they spent weeks together in bunkhouses during long projects, forging lifelong friendships in places like Boundary Dam in Eastern Washington. Gary quickly befriended the locals wherever he worked, and his crew affectionately dubbed him the “Social Director.”
Gary was a proud union man, a lifelong member of Local 77 of the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW). He valued the friendships he built there and cherished the sense of community that came with being part of the union.
One of Gary’s greatest passions was cars — especially racing. He raced his Corvette at SRI and there fell in love with the classic Shelby Cobras. After years of saving and researching, he finally got his own Cobra, and he enjoyed many sunny days driving around with friends who shared his love for gearhead culture.
Gary’s love of people extended to his many lifelong friends. He and his friends regularly gathered for get-togethers. As the self-appointed “social director,” Gary planned everything—from baseball games and museum tours to simple coffee outings. Every year, they went on an annual fishing trip to Alaska. What started as camping trips in sleeping bags soon upgraded to air mattresses, then motorhomes, and eventually, top-of-the-line fish camps with guides. Those trips were filled with laughter, and good-natured mischief. They liked to enjoy single malt scotch and cigars, Gary’s favorites, while telling stories — some funny, some heartfelt.
Gary was also known for his love of travel. He and Lynne made it a priority to take one big trip each year, saving up overtime to explore the world. They traveled to places near and far, including Lemmon, South Dakota, where Gary’s father had been raised. Gary made friends wherever he went and stayed in touch with them for decades, proving that his ability to connect with people was something he never lost.
Gary was a proud West Seattleite and loved his neighborhood, especially the Fauntlee Crest area. He was often affectionately called the “Mayor of West Seattle,” and in his younger years, he was dubbed “The Honorable Gary Moore” and it stuck for his whole life, always being known as The Honorable, far and wide. His deep love for the area, and for the people who lived there, never wavered. He remained friends with many of his neighbors, and he cherished the sense of community they shared.
Gary passed away peacefully in his sleep after a battle with Parkinson’s disease. He is survived by his beloved wife, Lynne; his ex-wife and lifelong friend, Paula Johnson; his children, Jarrett (Kellie) Moore and Shamayn (Juan) Carrion; his grandchildren, Frances (Will), Isabel/Lulu, Cecilia, Jorge Jr., Katrina, JuanJose/Jay (Ally), and JosePaul/JP (Belen); his great-grandchildren, Melania/Mimi, Belladonna, Sophia, Briar, Colbie, Rosalita and Elijah; as well as numerous in-laws, extended family, and many dear friends. He was preceded in death by his parents, May and Harry Moore, and his sister Sharon.
Gary will be deeply missed by all who knew him. His warmth, his generosity, and his love for people will live on in the countless lives he touched.
The family would also like to thank with deep appreciation Simon, Blanca, and everyone who took such incredibly great care of Gary at European Senior Care.
In lieu of flowers, Gary requested that donations be made in his honor to Parkinson’s research, specifically to the American Parkinson’s Disease Association, Northwest Chapter.
A Memorial and Celebration of Life will be held at Fauntleroy Church in early Spring. Details will be shared closer to the date.
(WSB publishes West Seattle obituaries and memorial announcements by request, free of charge. Please email the text, and a photo if available, to westseattleblog@gmail.com)
6:00 AM: Good morning! Welcome to Monday, December 23rd – Christmas Eve-Eve.
WEATHER + SUNRISE/SUNSET TIMES
Second full day of winter, which arrived at 1:20 am Saturday. Today’s forecast: Some sun before more rain, high in the low 50s. Today’s sunrise/sunset: 7:56 am and 4:21 pm.
SCHOOL
2-week winter break, this week and next.
TRANSIT
Water Taxi today – Regular service today.
Washington State Ferries today – 2-boat service on the Triangle Route with M/V Issaquah and M/V Cathlamet, plus M/V Tillikum as the “ghost/bonus boat” – check here for last-minute changes.
Metro buses today – Regular schedule.
ROAD WORK/CLOSURES
*Work on the Admiral Way Bridge seismic project is paused this week; the south half of the bridge has NOT been reconfigured – that’s now delayed until December 31.
*The Delridge pedestrian-bridge earthquake-safety project has just had another milestone – the bridge has reopened.
*Beach Drive gas-pipeline work continues into January, PSE tells us – here’s our latest update.
SPOTLIGHT TRAFFIC CAMERAS
High Bridge – Here’s the main camera, followed by the Fauntleroy-end camera:
Spokane Street Viaduct – This view usually looks westward, with eastbound lanes at left and westbound lanes at right:
Low Bridge – Looking west:
1st Avenue South Bridge:
Delridge cameras: Besides the one below (Delridge/Genesee), cameras are also at Delridge/Juneau, Delridge/Henderson, Delridge/Oregon, and video-only (so you have to go to the map), Delridge/Holden and Delridge/Thistle.
MORE TRAFFIC CAMS: All functioning traffic cams citywide are here; West Seattle and vicinity-relevant cameras are on this WSB page.
See trouble on the bridges/streets/paths/water? Please text or call our hotline (when you can do it safely, and after you’ve reported to authorities if they’re not already on scene) – 206-293-6302. Thank you!
A little rain doesn’t stop dedicated runners … like the ones in our photo, who showed up at West Seattle Runner (WSB sponsor) tonight for a beloved tradition – the annual Christmas Lights Run. It’s one of countless running events that proprietors Tim and Lori McConnell – whose store will celebrate its 15th anniversary next spring – presented this year, including the Float Dodger 5K, the first-ever Halloween Lights Run, and Thanksgiving morning’s Gobble Gobble Run and food drive.
After a safety talk (and a moment to remember WSB co-founder Patrick Sand, who has been there to take the group photo at the start of so many previous Christmas Lights Runs), everyone headed out on a route the McConnells had planned:
You can see the route map here.
P.S. Looking into 2025, West Seattle Runner’s free fitness programs get going right after New Year’s – Get Fit (January 2 info night), Full Fit (also January 2 info night), and Got Fit (January 8 info night).
Tonight’s Christmas-lights photos were sent by Deb, showing not one house, but several in the same block – 1900 block of Sunset Avenue in North Admiral. What they have in common: Trees with light-encrusted branches and/or trunks.
Still at least three showcase spots through Christmas, so we’re still welcoming photos/location suggestions – westseattleblog@gmail.com – thank you! (And scroll through our archive to see what we’ve shown already.)
After setting up the stage in the Easy Street Café, Cocoa Cris Cringle has launched his annual West Seattle photo session. If you get here before 7 pm, you too can get your pic taken with Cocoa Cris for $20 (benefiting charity) – hats and props available if you want to use them. Kids and pets welcome too. Santa pics can be serious business but it’s always fun with Cocoa Cris – who says he’s been doing this for more than 20 years!
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