Wayne Roger Newhouse, 79, of Bainbridge Island, died suddenly in Seattle surrounded by family and embraced by his life partner, on October 28, 2020. He was born on September 7, 1941, in the family’s ranch house in Sunnyside, Washington. The youngest of ten siblings; his parents were Dutch immigrants Tina (Bos) and John Newhouse (Jan Nieuwenhuis).

He graduated from Sunnyside High School in 1959. He lived in the Russian House at the University of Washington, focusing on Far Eastern Studies and graduating with a degree in Slavic Languages in 1964. He loved languages, history, traveling and culture, and taught himself Old English. He married Lynne Cregan on March 27, 1965. They had three children. He taught Russian at Prosser High School and worked on the family farm until starting his own ‘40 acres’ of hops and grapes along the Yakima River.

Wayne moved to Los Angeles in 1984, where he would meet his life partner Thom Blackmore in 1988. Having lived on Bainbridge Island from 1995-1999, Thom and Wayne retired to Bainbridge in 2013 and created an unbelievable oasis for friends and family to visit and shed away the cares of the world.

‘Opa’ loved his children and was especially proud of his six grandsons. A celebration of his life will be held next year. In lieu of flowers, donations to the Kitsap Humane Society are greatly appreciated. He was preceded in death by siblings Albert, Melvin, Irving, David, Betty, Ellen and Alfred. He is survived by his life partner Thom Blackmore, his brother John Newhouse, his sister Mary-Jane Swynenburg, his three children, Marti Dean (Steven), Cregan Newhouse (Russann), and Tyna Antonson, and his grandchildren Jonah Newhouse, Antonion Dean, Reece Newhouse, Carlos Dean, Cregan Antonson and Ian Antonson.

Wayne was known by all as a kind and gentle soul – a gentle giraffe. There is no doubt he will be checking in on us from time to time. He is playing cards with his brothers, having coffee with his sisters and in-laws, and spending a great deal of time tending the earth of an incredible garden, tossing out the rocks while his dog Blue diligently brings them back to him.