Vern Lyle Seaman
Birth Date: March 19, 1925
Deceased: January 5, 2004
Number of Children: 8
Number of Grandchildren: 12
Number of Great Grandchildren: ???
The life and times of Vern Lyle Seaman
His given name was Vern Lyle Seaman, but he preferred his nickname "Speed". He was born in Irrigon (Morrow County), Oregon on March 19, 1925. His father was Lyle Dean Seaman (July 1, 1904 to January 17, 1979), mother was Winifred H. (Steward) Seaman (March 10, 1905 to November 1, 1985).
Speed grew up in Irrigon, Madras and Sandy, Oregon. His father, Lyle, was the fire chief in Sandy from 1940 until 1972. His mother, Winifred, was a nurse. He had two brothers, Garland Dean Seaman and Thomas Lyle Seaman.
He had an interest in cars and racing and spent a lot of time with the sport.
Speed became Vern Seaman, Seaman First Class when he served in the submarine service.
After a tour of duty with the navy, Vern was involved in a head-on collision with another car. His chest was damaged, his sternum was broken, and he had a punctured lung. It was while he was recovering from these injuries, he agreed to ride along with a friend who was making a trip to Aberdeen, South Dakota. While there, he met Lois McBurney. Speed married Lois Irene McBurney on December 27, 1946 in Aberdeen, South Dakota.
One year later his first of eight children was born - Linda Jean. Over the next eighteen years they would have seven more children - Ricky Howard, Judith Laurel, Janeen Leanna, Kevin Lyle, Heidi Ann, Merri Nelle, and Keith Daniel.
Speed was a man of God, and loved the Lord with all his heart. He was involved with church functions and activities throughout his lifetime. He and his wife Lois wanted a (bakers) dozen children, but quit at eight when reality set in.
Speed worked as a baker, an ice cream man, and other odd jobs during the early years of marriage. In 1953 the family of six moved to Phoenix (Maricopa County), Arizona. Shortly thereafter he began a career as a machinist. In 1960 he left the machining business to start a sign shop, Seaman Signs. Two years later he was forced out of the sign business due to negative reactions from paint fumes, with his damaged lung. He then was hired by Motorola and was the only engineer on staff without an engineering degree.
Speed always had an interest in mining and prospecting for gold. He applied his engineering skills to the mining industry and developed a significantly-improved method of extracting gold from ore. He left his job at Motorola and went to work in the mining industry to apply his methodology to gold mines already in production. His work took him to Idaho where he commuted to and from Phoenix. On a trip in December of 1980, from Phoenix, to Idaho, he and Lois were in a horrible car crash that took the life of Lois. His world was shattered.
The mining career took him to Port Townsend, Washington, where a year later he met widow Betty Jane (Wilson) Hugill. They fell in love and married on November 14, 1981. After difficulties in the mining industry, Speed decided to open a sign shop in Port Townsend. He and wife Betty, remained in Port Townsend until they moved to Lebanon, Oregon in _________. Then in ________ they moved to Roseburg, Oregon where he live out the remaining years of his life. Vern Lyle Seaman died of heart failure January 4, 2005 in Roseburg, Oregon.
Ancestors
Currently being researched.
Parents
Siblings
Spouse
Lois Seaman
Betty Seaman
Kids
Linda Bagley
Rick Seaman
Judith Freegard
Janeen Goering
Kevin Seaman
Heidi Cook
Merri Nelle Eubank
Keith Seaman
Grandkids
Shannon Corley
Rod Seaman
Todd Bagley
Stephanie Howorth
Tammy Seaman
Lucy Seaman
Crystal Misenheimer
Jason Eubank
Janelle Leslie
Daniel Seaman
Jonathan Seaman
Joshua Seaman
Great Grandkids
Courtney Twigg
Cody Twigg
Carly Twigg
Caleb Corley
Kendall Place
Madeline Bagley
Grant Bagley
Isaac Bagley
Tim Howorth
Toby Howorth
Tyler Howorth
Tori Howorth
(Crystal's kids)
Katelyn Leslie
(Janelle's Kids)
(Jason's Kids)