Wallace Lenn Hume, born Dec. 5, 1930 in Seattle, WA, passed away in his Whidbey Island, WA home on Aug. 23, 2024 at the age of 93. He was born the sixth of seven children to his late parents, William Wallace Hume and Edith Naomi Rhotehamel Hume. He attended Bagley Elementary and graduated from Seattle’s Lincoln High School in 1948.
Wally joined the navy at 21 as a Seaman First Class. Following a brief duty in the Philippines, he was sent to Key West, FL where he was stationed aboard the submarine tender Bushnell. Two years later, he was transferred north to Bayonne, NJ, where he played baseball for the Navy league, one of his fondest memories.
Following his four years in the Navy, Wally returned home to Seattle and was hired by the Boeing Aircraft Co. as a Crash Fireman. During this time he met and married Shirley Stafford, and they purchased their first home near Renton, WA where they welcomed the births of their three sons: Jeff, Steve and Mark.
In 1958, Wally hung up his fireman boots to begin a long career with the Renton Police Department, first as a patrolman and eventually as a distinguished homicide detective. A number of his cases from the 1960s-70s have been written about in books and various crime publications.
In 1965 Wally and Shirley moved to the Bryn Mawr neighborhood overlooking south Lake Washington where they eventually welcomed daughter Karen into the family. With four kids under the roof, the Great Outdoors of the Pacific NW was a perfect place to raise them. Whether hiking, camping in rain, or sailing their 22ft sailboat through the San Juan Islands, these “Character Building” experiences instilled a love of adventure and deep appreciation for nature.
After retiring from the Renton PD and a short period as a private detective, Wally was hired to head up security at the King County Courthouse in Seattle where he worked another two years before his final retirement.
Sadly, in 1990, Shirley tragically lost her life in an accident. Two years later Wally met Penny Claire Holland through a Widows’ group. In 1994 they were joined together in a private ceremony with their children at Snoqualmie Falls.
After many visits to Whidbey Island, Wally and Penny agreed that island life suited them. They purchased a home on Race Lagoon, south of Coupeville, where they happily spent the next 27 years with family, friends, dear neighbors and dog buddies, until Wally’s passing in 2024. With Penny, his beloved children and close family surrounding his bedside in his final days, Wally’s last words, oft repeated, were, “I really did have a wonderful life.”
Wally was preceded in death by his parents, William Wallace Hume and Edith Naomi Rhotehamel Hume, by his first wife, Shirley Stafford Hume, five of his six siblings: Irene Thompson (Kerm), Ora “Bud” Hume (Francis), Loren Hume (Joyce), Lavonne Long (Jess), Glen Hume (Shirley), and stepson Christopher Holland. He is survived by his sister Eleanor Hudson (Stan), his loving partner, Penny Claire Holland, and his four children, Jeff Hume (Susie), Steve Hume (Aimee), Mark Hume (Antoinette), Karen Hume-Smith (Rick), grandsons Colin Hume (Mercy) and Reese Hume, great grand daughter Caroline Hume, stepson Jeff Zylland (Kate), sister-in-law Peggy Claire, and numerous cousins, nephews and nieces.
Loveably known by his family as the, “Wally Lama” because of his pontificating nature, Wally freely shared his, ‘pearls of wisdom’ with his kids and anyone who would listen. As he often told his teenage children back in the day, “It’s OK to have fun, but know when to leave.” Wally’s wishes were to have no formal service, but close family will fondly remember the, “Lama” with a gathering at his beloved cabin, and his ashes lovingly spread into the waters of Penn Cove.
REST IN PEACE, DEAR WALLY
Wally loved dogs and always said that when he died he wanted to go to,“Doggie Heaven.” Thus, memorials may be made to, Old Dog Haven or WAIFF Animal Shelter in Coupeville.
Wally’s family would like to thank the kind nurses and care givers of Hospice NW and Right At Home Care in Oak Harbor for the very special help and support they gave Wally and our family in his final days.
