Obituaries

Donald Timothy (Tim) Wynn, 72, passed peacefully to the Lord on December 13, 2020 at the University of Washington Medical Center. Born on October 12, 1948 in Akron, OH, to Donald Dewey and Mary Eleanor (Williamson) Wynn and raised in a U.S. Air Force family, Tim graduated from the United States Military Academy at West Point in 1971 and was commissioned a Second Lieutenant in the Army Corps of Engineers. After 30 years of active duty military service, Tim retired in 2001, having attained the rank of Colonel. Subsequently, he assumed the job of Director of Facilities at Western Washington University in Bellingham, WA, and permanently retired in the summer of 2011. Tim’s wide-ranging interests included astronomy, woodworking, science fiction books, classical music, hiking, and travelling. Beloved husband, father, brother, and friend; engineer who literally shaped the world for better; leader who shaped lives by example and gentle strength; member of Christ the Servant Lutheran Church; Tim will be deeply missed by those whose lives he touched and loved.

Tim is preceded in death by his parents. He is survived by his loving wife of 42 years, Jane Kirstine (Holmquist) Wynn; two daughters, Ane Kirstine (Sr. Cecilia Maria) Wynn and Anemarie Whitney Wynn; his sister Marcia Rice, and brother Tom Wynn and their spouses and children.

During his military career, Tim was assigned to six different Corps of Engineer Districts including Commander of the Transatlantic Programs Center, Commander of the Corps’ Seattle District, Military Deputy of the Seattle District, Commander of the Honolulu district, where he was responsible for the Corps of Engineers mission throughout the central Pacific, and deputy commander in Taif, Saudi Arabia in the Riyadh District. His service included assignments in Korea, Thailand, Honduras, Hawaii, and Saudi Arabia, as well as the continental United States.

Tim also served in the 1st Cavalry Division and 2nd Infantry Division, and served a tour teaching applied physics at West Point. In 1993, he returned from Korea, where he was Facility Engineer for the 2nd Infantry division, to attend the Naval War College at Newport, Rhode Island. He held two Master of Science degrees, one in Applied Science from the University of California at Davis and one from the Naval War College, and a Master of Business Administration from Long Island University. He held a professional engineer license from the State of Virginia. Among other awards, Colonel Wynn received the Wheeler Medal, the Legion of Merit, the Defense Meritorious Service Medal, and four Army Meritorious Service Medals.

As Seattle District Engineer from 1994 to 1997, Tim oversaw the Corps’ water resources development and maintenance activities in much of the state of Washington, northern Idaho and Western Montana. He was responsible for the Corps’ military design and construction work in the four-state region of WA, OR, ID, and MT.

As Commander of the Army Corps of Engineers’ Seattle District, Tim’s superb leadership brought unmatched acclaim to the District in 1995. Among the many accolades received by the District, a few suffice to underscore the outstanding performances of Colonel Wynn and his staff. The District won the Department of the Army Installation Support Program of the Year Award, the Department of Air Force Air Mobility Command Installation Support District of the Year Award, and was designated the single Corps of Engineers Design and construction Agent for the Army’s non-appropriated fund major construction program throughout the entire continental United States.
From 1997 to 2001 Tim commanded the Transatlantic Programs Center which oversees a wide variety of engineer and construction programs that support U.S. forces and other U.S. government and foreign defense agencies operating in Europe, Africa, the Middle East, and the former Soviet Union.

From 2001 to 2011 Tim served as director of Facilities Management at Western Washington University. Some of the projects completed under his leadership include the major renovation of Miller Hall, construction of the Academic Instructional Center, Communications Facility and the Wade King Student Recreation Center. Upon Tim’s retirement from WWU it was stated: “It will be quite a challenge for anyone to follow in Tim’s footsteps as FM director because he has simply done a superb job and his leadership over the past 10 years has helped the university achieve many very noteworthy accomplishments.” Indeed, in all his various assignments and leadership roles, Tim was beloved of superiors, peers, and subordinates alike. He had a gift for seeing and affirming the best in the other, and for fostering the strengths of those with whom he served.

Since retirement Tim took up a serious woodworking hobby, and he and his wife Jane spent the good part of ten years travelling all over the world. Jane planned all the trips and Tim would just ask “what type of clothing do I need for this trip?” Tim’s favorite museum was the Invalides in Paris, in his opinion the finest military museum and the resting place of one of his heroes, Napoleon Bonaparte. Every itinerary brought surprises and new adventures on land and on sea. The military fortifications of Vauban, a French military engineer who served under Louis XIV were a priority, as were the Polish Winged Hussars, Tadeusz Kosciuszko and the siege of Malta. Tim’s post-trip travel narratives were legendary for their thorough treatment of the historical and military significance of sights seen. He also loved to tell of the “death marches” Jane took him on – Machu Picchu Mountain, the Tongariro Alpine Crossing (New Zealand), and the Romsdalseggen (Norway). Each trip was “Professionally Done” and Tim’s suitcase stayed packed ready for the next trip while catching up on his woodworking. Tim will be missed, but never forgotten.

Tim’s remains will be buried at the West Point Cemetery, NY tentatively on September 21, 2021. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that memorial donations be made to the Cherish the Flame Building Campaign of the Passionist Nuns of St. Joseph Monastery: www.passionistnuns.org/cherish-the-flame or a charity of your choice.

The Road goes ever on and on
Out from the door where it began.
Now far ahead the Road has gone,
Let others follow it who can!
Let them a journey new begin,
But I at last with weary feet
Will turn towards the lighted inn,
My evening-rest and sleep to meet.