Gerald Allphin, Sr.

Gerald Lee "Tiny" Allphin, Sr., 79, longtime Kittitas resident, passed away on Monday, January 8, 2018 at the Kittitas Valley Hospital in Ellensburg. A graveside service with military honors will be held at 11:00 a.m. on Saturday, January 20 at the High Valley Cemetery outside of Ellensburg. A memorial service will follow at 1:00 p.m. at the Kittitas Community Church with Pastor Steve Arington officiating.

Tiny was born on December 28, 1938 in Fort Morgan, Colorado to Russell and Dalphine (Martz) Allphin. His family moved frequently when he was young, living in several states all over the west before settling in Kittitas in 1944 when Tiny was six years old. He grew up in Kittitas and left school at age 17 to enlist in the United States Navy, serving four years on-base in San Diego.

While in San Diego, Tiny met a young lady named Beverly Ogle (who also happened to be from Kittitas) while she was visiting friends in the area. The two hit it off and, after Tiny's honorable discharge from the Navy, the couple married on August 14, 1960. They continued to make Kittitas their home for the next 57 years.

Tiny worked as a laborer on various state and federal contracting jobs including the Grand Coulee and Rock Island Dams, the Hanford nuclear plant and on the Highway 12 project near White Pass. Tiny was one of the last of the true "high scalers" and put his life on the line daily to provide for his family. Although Tiny "retired" from construction, he kept busy with many other projects, including managing a trailer court that he built up from bare land.

Tiny's hobbies included not only hunting, but teaching his brother Ralph, children, grandchildren, great-grandchildren and many friends how to be safe and responsible hunters. He and Beverly also enjoyed spending time together fishing at various locations around the region.

Tiny is survived by his wife of 57 years, Beverly Allphin, at the family home; children Jerry Allphin, Jr. and Tina (Mike) Morefield, both of Kittitas; siblings Dale (Marge) Allphin of Ellensburg, Ralph (JoAnn) Allphin of Kittitas and Donna Huss of Ellensburg. He is also survived by six grandchildren and six great-grandchildren with one more great-grandchild on the way. He is also survived by many brothers-in-law, sisters-in-law, nieces, nephews and several great friends. He was preceded in death by his son Levi Allphin in May of 2017 as well as his parents and one brother, Harold Allphin. Steward & Williams Funeral Home and Crematory of Ellensburg is caring for the family. Online condolences may be left at www.steward-williams.com