John Howard Date passed away at home in Onalaska surrounded by his loving family on June 5, 2024, after a battle with cancer.
John was born March 22, 1949, in Centralia, Washington. He attended Centralia High School, graduating in 1967. He worked in the family business Date Lumber Mill until the business was sold in 1975. At that time, he and his father Henry M. Date bought a farm on Jackson Highway and set out to build what would become a 27-hole public golf course with the intention of it being for the working man to have an affordable and welcoming place to play golf. Newaukum Valley Golf course is still a big part of the community.
For the past 20 years, he was able to travel the world with Debby, spending time in Hawaii, cross country trips in the motorhome and time in Tucson and Yuma and bucket list trips to Australia and Ireland.
He is survived by his wife of 54 years, Deborah Date; his children, Scott, Juli, Nick and Ashley Date; grandchildren, Talia, Emily and Henry; and great-granddaughter Everlee Rose.
A celebration of life will be held at noon July 13 at the Chehalis Eagle. There will be a memorial golf tournament on Aug. 30 at Newaukum Valley Golf Course.
Donations may be made to Assured Hospice or the Chehalis Foundation for the John Date Memorial Golf Scholarship.
