Community mourns for Commissioner Stamper, beloved community leader, educator and coach
October 1 – Lewis County Commissioner Gary Stamper, the consensus-building, soft-spoken and beloved leader who valued his community at every turn and had a long career as an educator, died Wednesday Wednesday of health complications related to COVID-19.
He was 67.
He died at PeaceHealth Southwest Medical Center in Vancouver, Washington, after a five week battle with COVID-19. He was surrounded by his daughters. Stamper was vaccinated against COVID-19.
There was renewed hope last week when doctors tried to remove Stamper’s tracheostomy ventilator and his lungs showed signs of recovery, but the situation did not improve.
“I can’t thank him enough for being the best friend, fun travel companion and person who made me a better person just by the way he lived his life,” wrote his longtime Partner Bobbi Barnes on Wednesday evening on Facebook. “He may have lost his fight against COVID, but he won the lottery with friends, family and voters who loved and supported him.”
Stamper’s death leaves a large void in the Lewis County and Mossyrock communities. He represented Lewis County District 3, which covers most of the county east of Interstate 5 outside of the Twin Cities.
At the age of 59, Stamper retired as the director of White Pass Junior / High School in 2014 to run for the position on the Board of County Commissioners vacated by Lee Grose. His goal then was to create economic prosperity and job growth in the East Lewis County communities affected by a battered timber industry.
Stamper had a sublime, bright vision for his church. According to previous reports in The Chronicle, Stamper was a graduate of Mossyrock High School and later became a teacher at his alma mater and served as a youth sports coach.
“Gary was a leader for the East End. He really loved Lewis County,” Morton told Superintendent John Hannah. “It was just typical Gary. I’ve never seen the man unhappy. Always a smile, always positive, and he just loved this place in Washington.
The story goes on
Morton and White Pass elementary schools often shared congregations when Hannah also served as headmistress. He says he remembered Stamper dipping Hannah’s head in a cake once during a cake eating contest, a sign of his fun-loving attitude.
Hundreds of parishioners gathered on the steps of the historic Lewis County Courthouse Friday morning to commemorate Stamper. While people lingered one block off Northwest North Street, Jackson played Browne’s “The Barricades of Heaven” over a loudspeaker. There were silver trays of Tootsie Rolls on the tables.
Mossyrock Community Church pastor Wayne Nelson, who grew up and went to school by the nickname of Stamper, described his friend as a man of many titles: “Bones”, lumberjack stamper, millworker stamper, college student stamper , Teacher stamper, coach stamper, principal stamper and “the clerk”.
“What was Bones’ gift? He wasn’t the most educated man in the world, I can attest. He had the ability to read everyone in the room and he could identify with everyone in the room. Bones understood people. Bones has always been Bones – there is no excuse, there is no falsehood about him. What you saw he was all along. “said Nelson, and later added,” The Kommish was comfortable in his own skin. He never tried to be anyone else. “
Sheena Stamper Woods, his eldest daughter, told the crowded block that her father was “noisy awesome” and observant. He was a great father, she said, who knew when his daughters were throwing parties at home.
“As I got older I learned to appreciate his involvement in our lives and not a day goes by that we won’t miss him,” she said.
Between 1996 and 2008, Stamper served as a fire commissioner on the Lewis County Fire District 3 Board of Directors. Prior to assuming the reins as county commissioner, he served as the principal of White Pass Junior / Senior High for four years.
“Gary Stamper had such a big heart for people and also a heart for ministry. He was extremely devoted to his community, as a professional educator and, recently, as a very capable district commissioner. That is a grave loss, “says Sen. John Braun said in a statement.
Remaining Commissioners Lindsey Pollock and Sean Swope called for an emergency meeting on Thursday afternoon to discuss the way forward and the schedule for the occupation of Stamper’s seat. The Lewis County Republican Party will nominate three candidates, and Swope and Pollock will choose one of them to complete Stamper’s tenure.
During his tenure on the Board of County Commissioners, Stamper took pride in “standing up for the little guy”. According to the district staff, he was especially proud of promoting outdoor recreational activities across the district, including building a park in Packwood, and advocating several ways for the wood district to receive federal funding.
Stamper was also an avowed softie when it came to animals and he loved helping others. His friendliness went far, whether it was delivering firewood to a family in need or buying shoes for a student in need.
He was also a mentor to students through extracurricular. In 2007, Stamper coached Mossyrock’s girls’ basketball team to a 2B state championship. By then, he had coached the team for 13 years, helping raise the bar for what athletes could achieve during his tenure.
After resigning later that year, he told The Chronicle what he would miss most when leaving the team was the exercises.
“Games are only 32 minutes long, but training is not just about Xs and Os, it’s about dealing with people. Training is a reality, not just in basketball,” he told the newspaper at the time.
Many who knew Stamper say his willingness to get involved and cooperate carried over from his coaching days to almost everything else he did. He was always ready to work with those who disagreed, to cope with difficult situations and to reach across the aisle – all with a smile.
“I think I could speak for everyone (district worker) if I say he was a friend of all of us, he was a fantastic boss and we all honestly thought he was our work father,” said district manager Erik Martin during a memorial service on Thursday morning at Twin Transit’s Mellen Street e-transit station.
“He was the guy who always made you feel better when things didn’t look like they were going right, he was a very reassuring presence in the office. There was never an issue that he knew we couldn’t overcome and he was always incredibly supportive of the staff, “continued Martin.
Flanked by busses adorned with brightly colored flowers and LED panels saying “REST IN PEACE GARY STAMPER”, community leaders gathered at the memorial ceremony to hug Stamper and remember who he was.
“I’ve only known Gary for about eight years. We were very good friends during that time. What I can tell you is his love and compassion for this community that knows no borders and I will miss him as a friend, ”said an emotional sheriff Rob Snaza.
Inspector Lindsey Pollock said she was spending the day with Barnes at their Mossyrock home when Stamper died. They knew he would be taken off the ventilator that day, so the day was full of stories of the couple’s travels and warm memories.
“We knew this was a very realistic result, but it was a complicated process as there were definitely signs that his conditions were going to improve,” Pollock described the last month of Stamper’s fight.
Pollock said what stood out from Barnes’ stories was the “steady, even presence” that Stamper commanded in every situation.
“Gary absolutely loved Lewis County and was absolutely indebted to the people and doing his best for everyone. And he listened to everyone’s story,” said Pollock.
Swope said Stamper was “a good friend more than anything”.
“He’s the kind of person you’d like to be your neighbor,” said Swope. “If Gary wanted something to happen in our community, it was only for us to be neighbors again.”
Swope said it would be a tough road without the senior commissioner he looked up to as a fighter. Throughout Stamper’s fight, Swope always expected him to return, especially with the improvement over the past week.
“You’re not replacing Gary,” said Swope, “and that’s going to be the worst.”
Cards for the Stamper family can be mailed to the Board of County Commissioners office at 351 NW North Street, Chehalis, Washington, 98532.
Service plans will be announced at a later date.
In addition to partner Bobbi Barnes, Stamper leaves behind his daughters and their families: Sheena and Emmett Woods (and their children Rory and Reese) and Michele and Jesse Gore (and daughters Hadley and Emma); his stepson and family, Tyler and Jessica Walster (and daughters Olivia and Kambree); and his stepdaughter and family, Kelly Walster and Charlie Chancellor (and daughter Cree).