Jack “Butch” Espy, 79, our handsome and amazing Father, passed away Friday, Aug. 5, 2022, surrounded by his family at Deaconess Medical Center in Spokane after a lengthy battle with cancer.
He was born April 1, 1943, to Jesse Wallace Espy and Mattie Pearl (Clyde) Espy. He grew up in Potlatch on the family farm with five sisters and five brothers. Their father ran an outfitting business on the Lochsa so they would travel between the two places.
Jack married Patricia Pierce on May 8, 1964, later divorcing in 1982, but not before having three wonderful children, Laurie, Kevin and Tawny. He went on to marry Terry Altman Oct. 1, 1983, and she brought a daughter Dawn and a son David into the relationship. Jack and Terry were just months away from their 39th wedding anniversary.
Dad was a friend to everyone and he had a guy for everything. Family time is what he cherished most. He looked forward to eating tacos and watching NASCAR as a family and later on his love for the Gonzaga game grew strong but still eating tacos with family on game days. He spent many years working at Bennett Lumber. He then became a consultant for lumber mills and traveled all over the Northwest working for several mills until he retired.
He is survived by his wife Terry Espy, son Kevin (Kim Espy), daughter Laurie McGraw (Shawn), Daughter Tawny (her two puppies), daughter Dawn Buckley and son David. 11 grandchildren and 11 great-grandchildren. His brothers Harry Buck Espy, Mick Espy and Lynn Espy, sisters Sherry Nygaard and Sharon Lewis. He was preceded in death by his parents, sisters Shirley Wilhelm, Charlotte McCallum, sister Beverly Jones passed away a few weeks after him and brothers Mitch Espy and Bob Bryant.
We will have a celebration of life with a covered-dish dinner at 11 a.m. on his birthday, Saturday, April 1, at the Uniontown Hall on Main Street in Uniontown. You may also enter at 209 S. Montgomery, Uniontown.
