I was saddened to learn of the premature death of Daryl Lund, who as noted, loomed large in the life of Chehalis for most of his 63 years.
In my mind, he was a humble, kind and gentle giant who was legendary as a public servant, businessman and, most of all, as a friend.
Although it has been 42 years since I stepped down as principal of W.F. West High School, Daryl and I have remained in touch via Facebook, phone calls, Christmas cards and the occasional class reunion. In fact, the last time I saw Daryl in person was at the 40th reunion of his class, and we had a very long visit.
While many of the posts I have read speak to his more recent activities, Daryl was in charge going back to his days as a student in high school. We used to joke that Daryl had more keys to the school than the custodian, and when the office staff needed to get into something that was locked, they often had to find Daryl. I am quite sure he had more keys and knew more about the operation of the high school than I did.
We didn’t just pass out keys willy nilly to the student body; Daryl seemed to be a presence whenever something needed done.
I am quite certain that was a quality that continued to be a hallmark throughout his life.
As I scroll through the incredible number of tributes to Daryl on his Facebook page, it is really no surprise since his entire life was dedicated to the wellbeing of the community he loved and served.
Rest in peace, my friend. I have been proud of you ever since you were a freshman at W.F. West.
George Murdock
Pendleton, Oregon
