Andrew Valentine Ambuehl
May 26, 1930–July 8, 2023
Andrew Valentine Ambuehl was born in Tacoma on May 26, 1930 to Ursula and Valentine Ambuehl. The oldest of five children, Andrew was not the first born. His parents had earlier given birth to another baby boy they had also named Andrew, who died at birth. This may explain why Andrew had such a rich and full life because he was living it for two Andrews.
Originally from Switzerland, his family owned and operated the Oakwood Dairy in Fife, WA. A gifted athlete, Andy still held track records at Fife High School for years after he
had graduated.
Andy met his future bride, Donna Patterson, while hanging out with his best friend, Paul Jensen. Paul was dating Donna’s older sister Marilyn. On Andy’s first date with Donna, he took her golfing, and Donna hit Andy over the head with her golf club. Apparently the blow to the head was enough to render him highly susceptible to her beguiling powers. The two married in 1951, and a couple of years later they produced their fine son Randy. After a couple more years, their favorite daughter Cathy
was born.
In the early years, Andy was a high school teacher and a coach, which provided the summers off to go back and work at the family dairy farm delivering milk. As the years progressed, Andy moved on from teaching to becoming vice principal of a junior high school, and then on to being the principal of Boise High School. Time for a change led Andy to the banking business: he managed a branch in Eagle, Idaho before moving on to work for banks in Walla Walla, Tillamook, and eventually to Peoples Bank in Lynden, where he retired.
Yes, the Ambuehls moved a lot! They started out in Fife, then on to Havre, MT, Missoula, MT, Boise, ID, Eagle, ID, Walla Walla, WA, Tillamook, OR, Netarts, OR, and Everson. Then there was the beach house on Gooseberry Point, and finally they built their last forever home in Birch Bay Village where they managed to stay put in one place for over 30 years. And most recently Donna and Andy have lived at Spring Creek Assisted Living in Bellingham, where they have enjoyed the tender loving care of multitudes of sweet caregivers.
Camping, hunting, fishing, clamming, traveling, boating, growing gardens, raising cattle and horses, and showing and racing Appaloosa horses: so much to do! The family outings were uite stimulating, from exploring abandoned mining towns in Idaho and panning for gold, to camping trips to the far provinces of Canada, and numerous horseback trips into various wilderness areas.
During their retirement years, Andy and Donna, in a variety of their trusty RVs, traveled and explored as far east as Prince Edward Island. They also enjoyed several grand adventures abroad to England, Denmark, Switzerland, and Germany, trading houses with people who lived there.
Fortunately, Andy was recently surrounded by his loved ones who gathered together on Father’s Day to celebrate him, and they were able to let him know what a special man he was in their lives.
Andy passed from this life and on to his next adventure on July 8, 2023 at the age of 93. He was preceded in death by his parents, his brothers Val and Richard, and his sister Margaret.
Andy is survived by his sister Ruth, his wife Donna, his son Randy, his daughter Cathy (Steve), grandsons Logan and Lucas, favorite granddaughter Anna, great-grandchildren Riley, Abigail, Silas, and Kyja, and by the numerous people who loved him.
