Barry Torgerson

Barry Craig Torgerson, 73, of Lancaster, California, passed away Saturday, Dec. 21,
2019, in Lancaster, following an extended illness.

Barry was born Feb. 14, 1946, in McMinnville, Oregon, to Emil George Torgerson and
Dorothy (nee Reynolds) Torgerson, and he was their first-born child.  He grew up in
Clarkston, Washington, attending schools in Clarkston and graduating from Charles
Francis Adams High School in 1964. He attended Lewis-Clark Normal School for a time.
He worked for the U.S. Forest Service at the Fenn Ranger Station in Idaho and for
Potlach Forests Inc, at their Lewiston mill, before entering the U.S. Air Force in 1968.
He was an Electronics Technician during his career in the Air Force and retired in 1988
with the rank of Master Sergeant. Barry then worked with the Pasadena, California
School District from 1988 to 2015.

Barry married the love of his life, Janet Lande, in Las Vegas, and they were happily
married for more than 36 years until Janet’s passing on November 5, 2009.  Barry,
Janet, and their 5 children, lived and adventured in many parts of the world and the
U.S.A., following Barry’s base assignments with the Air Force.

Barry’s interests and hobbies (besides scaring the wits out of his younger siblings on a
dark night by jumping out from behind the garage or shed as they returned from
Grandpa Reynold's house) were related to all things electronic and mechanical from the
time he was a very young man; he added computers to his repertoire from the time they
first became available; he also enjoyed building and launching rockets with his sons; in
his younger days, he built and flew gas-powered remote control airplanes. Barry was
intellectually curious and had a nearly encyclopedic knowledge on almost any subject.
His family remembers him always involved in a wide variety of interests, hobbies, and
crafts – a true Renaissance man. Of course, as a young man growing up in the
Lewiston-Clarkston valley, Barry had also been an avid fisherman and hunter when he
lived there, going on his last mule deer hunt with his father and brothers when he was
home on leave from the Air Force. As an older brother, he was always ready and willing
to show you how something worked - whether it be a homemade Morse Code
telegraph, short-wave radio, vacuum tube radio or T.V., an algebraic equation, a "bomb"

made of popsicle sticks, bows and arrows, blow-guns of copper tubing, how to lasso a
grasshopper or June bug and make it a pet, how to use a stag beetle’s jaws as a paper
punch, how to scare your sister with a dead mole, how to scare your little brother with a
high-speed ride on his bicycle handlebars, or some other alien knowledge, skill, or
ability. He certainly helped make life interesting...and fun.

Barry was preceded in death by his wife Janet, his father Emil, mother Dorothy, brother
Ron Torgerson (Linda) and brother Brian Torgerson.

Barry is survived by his children: son Bruce Evans of Highland, California; son Scott
Evans of Santa Clara, California; daughter Lisa Gilbert (Gary) of Jacksonville, North
Carolina; daughter Wendy Hickey of Charlotte, North Carolina; and daughter Lola
Torgerson of Seattle, Washington. He is also survived by brother Russell Torgerson
(Linda) of Lenore, Idaho; sister Gwen Sullivan of Genesee, Idaho; sister Karen
Bergeron (Robert) of Lewiston, Idaho; sister Shelley Wagnitz (Jeff) of Olympia,
Washington; brother Melvin Torgerson (Marilynn) of Sequim, Washington; brother Loren
Torgerson (Stacey) of Olympia, Washington; and brother Brad Torgerson of Clarkston,
Washington. He is also survived by several grandchildren and great grandchildren, aunt
and uncle, sisters-in-law and brothers-in-law, and numerous nieces, nephews, and
cousins across the country.

Barry was loved by his family and will be dearly missed by all who knew him.
Barry will be cremated, and his and wife Janet’s ashes will be interred in Salisbury,
North Carolina, following a military funeral.
Services will be held at the Salisbury, NC National Cemetery at 1:00 pm on Friday,
February 14.

In lieu of flowers please consider donating to a Boxer Dog Rescue in your area in
memory of Barry & Janet and their beloved Tyson.
Or
Make a donation to ArtPop Street Gallery https://charity.gofundme.com/artpopstreetgallery

or consider a purchase of jewelry from Lola Torgerson
https://www.etsy.com/shop/LolafaeJewelery