Darrell D. Uptegraft, Jr.

Darrell Dewane Uptegraft, Jr. was born in Kalamazoo, Michigan, on October 9, 1955, the son of Darrell (Dick) and Ethel Benson Uptegraft. Darrell's early life was full of adventures, living on national wildlife refuges in New York, Pennsylvania, Minnesota, and Illinois, as his father was a refuge manager for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service for 25 years. At a very young age, he was hunting and fishing with his dad. The family vacationed every summer in northern Michigan with his Uptegraft and Benson cousins. Climbing the Sleeping Bear sand dunes on Lake Michigan and fishing for steelhead were favorite pastimes. In addition, the family visited National Parks across the country, including Yellowstone, Glacier, Mt. Rushmore, and the Everglades. Darrell briefly attended Southern Illinois University, and then transferred to San Francisco State University to explore his interest in science. He earned a Bachelor of Science degree in marine biology and chemistry. Darrell set his sights on law school and enrolled in the University of Puget Sound School of Law, Tacoma, Washington. Darrell started clerking for McCluskey, Sells, Ryan, Olbertz & Haberly, Inc. P.S. in 1981, and continued to clerk for the firm while attending law school. In 1983, Darrell joined that law firm as an associate attorney, and was a partner in that same firm, (Law Offices of Ryan, Uptegraft & Montgomery, Inc. P.S.), until 2014, when he left for medical reasons. He had broad experience during his career, but in later years focused his practice in the area of plaintiff\'s personal injury. Darrell was an Eagle member of the Washington State Trial Lawyer\'s Association and an active member of the Kitsap County Bar Association, serving in 1999 as its President. The Board of Governors of the Washington State Bar Association presented its Local Hero Award to Darrell on April 15, 2016, in appreciation of his long and distinguished career. His sense of humor and ability to become friends with everyone he met set the gold standard for how the legal community should treat one another. Through his service to the Kitsap County Bar, his mentoring of many new attorneys, and his willingness to teach students about the legal system exemplify the traits of a true professional. Darrell's portrait is now added to the permanent gallery on display at the Kitsap County Courthouse. Darrell's positive attitude and zest for life was infectious. He shared his love of golf, downhill skiing, fishing, gardening, and many adventures, with passion. He was a long-time member of the Kitsap Golf and Country Club. Darrell is survived by his loving wife Kacey, Silverdale, WA; his sister Cynthia (Cindy) Uptegraft Barry and nephews Creighton and Kyle Barry, Vancouver, WA. Preceding him in death were his mother and father. Living with ALS ("Lou Gehrig's diseaseÃ¢â‚¬Â ) for the past three years has been a journey. Darrell's journey was always upbeat and positive, truly an inspiration to others. Trying to beat the sands of time of the paralyzing disease took every moment, aided by a great community of friends and family. He travelled the world through the grace of God. It was a good journey. Help fight ALS Ã¢â‚¬â€œ visit www.alsa.org

Darrell D. Uptegraft, Jr.

October 9, 1955 - October 23, 2016