Juan Del Valle

beloved husband, father, grandfather, brother and uncle passed away on the 15th of July, 2007 from coronary complications. He was 74 years of age and a resident of Bainbridge Island, Washington.Juan was born in Colon, Panama on the 4th of March, 1933 to Vina and William del Valle. His family moved to Southern California and later to Seattle, WA. Juan graduated from Lakeside School in Seattle. At the age of sixteen he entered Yale University, where he graduated with a degree in engineering.Upon graduation, Juan served as a Lieutenant J.G. in the United States Navy. On a trip to Puerto Rico he met Wendy Hobart. In 1954, the couple was married in Bryn Mawr, Pennsylvania and have been together ever since.They have two daughters, Cristina and Tracy. The family traveled extensively and enjoyed many outings together. One of their many favorite traditions was Fourth of July at Spirit Lake.Juan continued his education at the Harvard Business School, graduating in 1958. He then began a career in the paper products industry, starting with Weyerhaeuser at their paper mill in Longview. He soon joined a young Boise Cascade Corporation. He managed plants around the northwest and internationally, eventually moving to Boise where he served as Executive Vice President. In addition to being an astute businessman, Juan knew how to make paper.In 1983, Juan founded the Port Townsend Paper Company, buying the mill from Crown Zellerbach for the Haindl Paper Company of Germany. Juan and Wendy moved back to Washington where he ran the company from his new offices on Bainbridge Island. Juan was the President of Port Townsend Paper until his retirement in 1991. Throughout his career, Juan's direct and hard charging demeanor was legendary, yet his followers and employees loved him. He was respected for getting straight to the essential point. His success flowed from an uncompromised code of honesty and integrity in all dealings.Juan was an enthusiastic fisherman and bird hunter and traveled the globe in pursuit of these passions.In 1991, Juan suffered a stroke that took most of his speech and limited his mobility to a wheelchair. Throughout this though, his indomitable spirit kept him from slowing down. He traveled extensively, taking numerous road trips throughout the northwest, going on safari in East Africa, and cruising around the world.He was a member of the Rainier Club, The Arlington Club, Wing Point and The Duck Club.His immediate family remains: his devoted and loving wife Wendy of Bainbridge Island, daughters Cristina (Robert) Rathbone of Boise and Tracy (Stephen) Reimers of Seattle; his grandchildren Vina, Pete, and Elizabeth Rathbone, and Hank Reimers; and his brother David (Gail) del Valle of Mercer Island.PJV's friends are invited to a celebration of his life at the Rainer Club, 820 4th Ave. Seattle, Thursday July 26, from five to seven pm.Memorials can be made to Ducks Unlimited, Pacific Northwest Field Office 1101 SE Tech Center Drive, Vancouver, WA 98683.Arrangements by Cook Family Funeral Home.