On Jan. 12, 2018 Edgar Francis Racey Jr (Francis) passed away peacefully in Seattle, Washington from natural causes.

He is survived by his children Mathew Racey, Susan Taylor, Claire Racey (predeceased 2017), Caitlin Racey and Noah Racey; and grandchildren Corinne Taylor, Tony Racey, Max Racey, Gannon Racey, Aidan Honeyman and Rose Honeyman.

Francis was born in Quincy, Massachusetts on November 19, 1929, to Edgar Francis Racey and Hortense Lance Cobb Racey. He was a passionate scholar and professor. Through the GI Bill (Navy) he earned his undergraduate degree at Ohio State; he won a Wilson Fellowship and earned his Masters at Stanford University, and his Phd in English at Claremont College. He taught at Colorado College and the University of Washington before being named Chairman of the Humanities Department at Penn State, Harrisburg.

Francis’ life took him on many extraordinary adventures: forming a communal living collective in Southern Oregon; foreman of a Seafood Processing Ship in Alaska; editor at Master Works Publishing house on San Juan Island; and founder and co-creator of Lahari Hospice on Orcas Island. When he landed on Orcas in 1980 he felt he had truly arrived home.

It was there that he found his deepest connection to being of service; as teacher, care taker, and spiritual counselor – pastor to hundreds of new couples tying the knot on Orcas, and 10 years of leading a Sunday morning devotional called Circle of The Spirit, which touched the hearts of so many.

Francis’ family gives special thanks to Amelia Edgeland, Richard Valenti and the circle of close friends on Orcas Island who helped take such good care of him, especially during the last three years of his life.

He lived a truly unique and authentic life, bringing as much love, light, mirth, compassion and sacred mischief to the moment as he could. His motto was: THANKS FOR EVERYTHING, I HAVE NO COMPLAINTS WHATSOEVER. He will be so dearly missed.

A memorial potluck and celebration will be held at Oddfellows Hall on Sunday, April 15, starting at 4 p.m. and going until the music stops.