George Weyerhaeuser Sr., former Weyerhaeuser Company CEO and president and great-grandson of the companys founder Frederick Weyerhaeuser, died June 11 at the age of 95. In the last 100 years no one has had more influence on the shaping of South King County than George Weyerhaeuser, said Peter von Reichbauer, a King County councilman who represents Federal Way. While memories of the crime that put Tacoma in the worldwide spotlight might have faded since then, Baarsma said, the impact was lasting, and in the years that directly followed the ordeal remained top of mind for many Tacoma residents. Kidnappers held him for eight days and sent his father on several missions via hidden notes to accomplish tasks. But Leilee Weyerhaeuser thinks the incident taught her father to be forward-looking. It was George Weyerhaeuser who unintentionally jolted them from obscurity. I know my dad had the fondest memories about George that he shared with us as we grew up. I mean, if you were born and raised in Tacoma, as I was, you knew about it.. The 425-acre campus in Federal Way blends nature with corporate offices, creating a one-of-a-kind location both inside and outside of the building. In Tacomas history, thats probably the biggest story, Baarsma said this week, noting that the crime and subsequent trial brought reporters from around the world to the City of Destiny. Include your name, Moments later, the car sped off, and Weyerhaeuser hitched a ride back to Tacoma. William Dainard, then 33, was sentenced to 60 years in prison; Harmon Metz Waley, then 23, was sentenced to 45 years in prison; and Margaret Eldora Thulin, then 19, was sentenced to 20 years. He left a tremendous legacy and will be greatly missed by everyone in the greater Weyerhaeuser family and community.". I took a picture at the July 4th party of the heart with his and Wendy's names above it. William Dainard, then 33, was sentenced to 60 years in prison; Harmon Metz Waley, then 23, was sentenced to 45 years in prison; and Margaret Eldora Thulin, then 19, was sentenced to 20 years. George Weyerhaeuser Sr., kidnapped as boy, passes away. Environmental activists pressured the company to end or limit logging on some of its millions of acres of forest as a way to protect wildlife habitat. In a June 14 news release by the Weyerhaeuser Company one of Americas largest forestry firms founded by Weyerhaeusers great-grandfather the company addressed Weyerhaeusers passing. He became the companys senior vice president of technology, procurement and transportation in 1998. In May 1935, when George Weyerhaeuser was 8, his grandfather John P. Weyerhaeuser Sr. died. Meyer said Mr. Weyerhaeuser was a man who combined a passion for civic betterment with a keen business knowledge. George was an extraordinary person and leader one of the most influential in the history of the industry, said Devin Stockfish, president and chief executive officer. Mr. Weyerhaeusers great-great grandfather was Frederick Weyerhaeuser, one of the company founders. Find George Weyerhaeuser obituaries and memorials at Legacy.com. Tue, Jun 14, 2022. During his tenure, the company launched several major initiatives. He served in the Navy in World War II and, after graduating from Yale University, continued working his way up through the timber business. He oversaw significant growth of the company, including a number of major timberland acquisitions, and had an enduring impact on the evolution of forest management at Weyerhaeuser and across the industry. George Weyerhaeuser, Child-Kidnapping Victim, Survived to Lead Forestry Giant - WSJ Print Edition Latin America U.S. What's News Podcast Central Banking Private Equity NBA Tennis Soccer Jason. Weyerhaeuser also questioned the industrys growing focus on Wall Street, share price and short-term results, which he saw as ill-suited in a business whose products took decades to mature. He also served as Board chairman through 1999. He went on to say the Weyerhaeuser Company cut down the construction cost so the facility could be constructed within the limited budget available. In the process, the shockingly brazen crime and Wererhaeusers safe return all of which followed on the heels of the Lindbergh kidnapping helped put Tacoma on the map. But his daughter, Leilee Weyerhaeuser, said the experience deeply affected his outlook on life. | A Matt Driscoll column. An Auburn woman has won the $754.6 million Powerball jackpot. Leave condolences in the Guest Book, send sympathy flowers, and pay respect to your loved one. He can adjust himself to conditions in a way no adult could. Twenty six years earlier, Frederick Weyerhaeuser and 15 partners had paid $5.4 million to the Northern Pacific Railway for just over 1,400 square miles of forestland in Washington state. For more than a hundred years, Weyerhaeuser has been building and enhancing a reputation for responsible corporate citizenship. George Weyerhaeuser Sr., the fourth-generation heir of his familys timber company, died Saturday at the age of 95, leaving a lasting legacy on the region and industry. On June 1, after eight days imprisonment in earthen pits, car trunks, closets and even a Uneeda cracker carton, George Weyerhaeuser was left on the side of a forest road near Issaquah with two blankets and a dollar. Mr. Weyerhaeuser was president of the Thea Foss Waterway Development Authority, a board on which he had served for many years. The company said he oversaw a great amount of growth of the company which included several major timberland acquisitions. Throughout his tenure, the company developed new products and expanded overseas before shrinking back to focus on its North American operations, according to TDN archives. Our common stock trades on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol WY. In one of the nation's most sensational crimes, on May 24, 1935, George Weyerhaeuser (1926-2022) the 9-year-old son of timber baron John Philip Weyerhaeuser Jr., was kidnapped. We are also one of the largest manufacturers ofwood productsin America. When Weyerhaeuser retired in 2000, a handful of local retirees remembered him best for his time working shoulder-to-shoulder with them. In Federal Way, the Weyerhaeuser King County Aquatic Center has been the site for dozens of championship swim and dive meets, Olympic Trials and other important events. He was also heavily involved in the design of the companys 425-acre corporate campus in Federal Way, which opened in 1971 to international acclaim as one of the first suburban headquarters. Real-time updates and all local stories you want right in the palm of your hand. "George was an extraordinary person and leader one of the most influential in the history of the industry," said Devin Stockfish, president and chief executive officer. He would later downplay the impacts of the abduction and frenzied aftermath. Our deepest sympathies for your family. You and your family will be in my thoughts and prayers. Guest Book sponsored by Mountain View Funeral Home - Tacoma, Dear David, NextMed said most of its customers are satisfied. {{start_at_rate}} {{format_dollars}} {{start_price}} {{format_cents}} {{term}}, {{promotional_format_dollars}}{{promotional_price}}{{promotional_format_cents}} {{term}}, Nebraska cheerleader competes by herself at state competition, but crowd doesn't let her feel alone, UPDATE: Owner of Longview's Grant's at the Monticello Hotel dies, KFC is bringing back a fan favorite after a nearly 10-year hiatus, UPDATE: Grant Hadler's death ruled a homicide; Kelso man arrested on suspicion of manslaughter, Police detain man reportedly threatening to jump off Lewis and Clark Bridge, Body found in river near Castle Rock identified, 2A High School Boys Basketball: Mark Morris going hardware shopping at State after dropping Sehome, 2A High School Boys Basketball: Gray gets hot, helps Mark Morris over No. you are forever in my heart . It was a typical springtime day on May 24, 1935, when . The four participants in the kidnapping were apprehended and sentenced to prison terms totaling 135 years. These videos are a trip back in time, $754.6 million Powerball winner identified as Washington woman. We own or control approximately 11 million acres of timberlands in the U.S. and manage additional timberlands under long-term licenses in Canada. While George Weyerhaeuser rarely talked about the ordeal in the years that followed and long maintained that it didnt leave him scarred Johnston believes it influenced his view on life. That lesson certainly applied to his own life. The videos include the Tacoma Dome under construction, the old Hi-Ho Shopping Center in Puyallup and South Hill before it was choked with sprawl. Georges dad was not in love with the media at all, because they were camped out in their lawn for a week, Johnston said. When we wanted to build a world class aquatic center in the Puget Sound region in 1990, George helped us site it in then-unincorporated Federal Way, said von Reichbauer. I think we have all benefited from his understanding and commitment, said Meyer. He also served as Board chairman through 1999. Stockfish went on to say that over his years of leadership in the company, he brought about transformational changes to the company. He will be missed. If you proceed without upgrading or switching browsers, With news of George Weyerhaeusers death still fresh this week, Baarsma also said that the famed kidnapping isnt the only way we should remember a man who made considerable contributions to the city we know today. He said working in the business taught him the business. I suspect thats right, Johnston said. It brought great responsibility, and he carried it out, said Keller. When typing in this field, a list of search results will appear and be automatically updated as you type. Funeral arrangement under the care of Mountain View Funeral Home. We manage these timberlands on asustainablebasis in compliance with internationally recognized forestry standards. George Hunt Walker Weyerhaeuser was born July 8, 1926, in Seattle, to Helen (Walker) Weyerhaeuser and John Philip Weyerhaeuser Jr., grandson of company co-founder Frederick Weyerhaeuser, according to his obituary. The Weyerhaeuser family is planning a memorial service which will take place later this summer. In 1991, John Creighton took over as CEO. SEATTLE, June 14, 2022 /PRNewswire/ --Weyerhaeuser Company(NYSE: WY) is deeply saddened to learn of the passing of George H. Weyerhaeuser Sr., long-time former leader and great-grandson of founder Frederick Weyerhaeuser. The kidnapping had made the national news, thanks to a reporter who maneuvered to interview George even before he returned to his family, and the result was a media frenzy, said Leilee Weyerhaeuser, He had told us that for him, the worst trauma came from being encircled by reporters with cameras and questions and microphones, she said. Mr. Weyerhaeuser is survived by his wife, Kathy McGoldrick; sons Walker and Corydon; his father, George Weyerhaeuser; and his mother, Wendy. He never tried to be the center of attention. If the kidnapping put Tacoma in the spotlight, so did the trial that quickly followed which was held at the U.S. District Court downtown. I think thats an important part of the story as well.. According to Johnston, on the first night John Weyerhaeuser failed, unable to find all the markers. George Weyerhaeuser was released along a road in Issaquah, found his way to a nearby farmhouse, and was then taken back to his familys home in Tacoma. 84 years ago: 9-year-old George Weyerhaeuser was kidnapped in Tacoma and held on $200,000 ransom By Natalie Guevara, SeattlePI Updated May 24, 2019 The Weyerhaeuser kidnappers - Timber scion. He also served as Board chairman through 1999. Weyerhaeuser served as president and CEO from 1966 to 1991 and continued to serve as Board chairman through 1999. Send your deepest condolences with fresh flowers. The company has been scrutinized over fake reviews and criticized by customers who had trouble getting refunds. In 2021, we generated $10.2 billion in net sales and employed approximately 9,200 people who serve customers worldwide. Learn more atwww.weyerhaeuser.com. George Weyerhaeuser Sr. dies at 95 Great-grandson of the company's founder Frederick Weyerhaeuser, died on June 11. by Sarah Fox Wednesday, June 15, 2022 2:18pm Northwest George Weyerhaeuser Sr., former Weyerhaeuser Company CEO and president and great-grandson of the company's founder Frederick Weyerhaeuser, died June 11 at the age of 95. The kidnappers began stalking the family after reading an obituary for J.P. Weyerhaeuser Sr., planning to abduct George and hold him for ransom. Why is Pierce County food insecurity still so high? I think I actually managed to go to sleep part of the way, he said later in .css-1h1us5y-StyledLink{color:var(--interactive-text-color);-webkit-text-decoration:underline;text-decoration:underline;}.css-1h1us5y-StyledLink:hover{-webkit-text-decoration:none;text-decoration:none;}an oral history. In 1971, George Weyerhaeuser moved the companys headquarters to Federal Way, a city which was shaped by his vision. Weyerhaeuser Company, one of the world's largest private owners oftimberlands, began operations in 1900. Challenges that would be discouraging to some people, he would be looking for the way to go into the future and have it be better, she said. An Auburn woman has won the $754.6 million Powerball jackpot. Mr. Weyerhaeuser suffered a heart attack Sunday evening on his boat on Commencement Bay. My deepest condolence to you and your family. During its heyday, Weyerhaeuser employed as many as 5,000 workers locally, according to TDN archives. Matt Driscoll is a News Tribune columnist. Each marker, according to Johnston, revealed a new set of instructions, eventually leading to a drop spot for the cash. It was the week he spent in captivity as a young boy, however, that made Weyerhaeuser a household name. George Weyerhaeuser Sr., attended the opening of Longview's Japanese Garden and the bridge to the island in 2003. Learn more atwww.weyerhaeuser.com. In 1935, an 8-year-old George Weyerhaeuser first made headlines when he was kidnapped in Tacoma and held for ransom. U.S., Newspapers.com Obituary Index, 1800s-current. May 24, 1935, Miss Berg of Lowell Grammar School dismissed her fifth-grade class for lunch,. The couple implicated a third kidnapper, William Mahan real name was William Dainard, according to HistoryLink.org, and considered the brains of the operation who was captured the following year. Email notifications are only sent once a day, and only if there are new matching items. All Rights Reserved. His kidnappers were eventually caught and found guilty. Margaret Waley went to trial at the insistence of the judge, since it appeared the 19-year-old had no real involvement in the crime and never saw George Weyerhaeuser during his captivity and eventually received a sentence of 20 years. "Over his many years as president and CEO, he brought transformational changes to our company, including important advances in sustainable, high-yield forestry and wood products research, as well as expansion into overseas markets, among many other achievements. George Weyerhaeuser went on to graduate from Yale University, and held various roles at the company until he was named CEO and president in 1966 until 1991. The kidnapping of a great grandson of the founder of a giant forestry company made international headlines. He was also the victim of a famous kidnapping case in 1935 . https://www.wsj.com/articles/george-weyerhaeuser-child-kidnapping-victim-survived-to-lead-forestry-giant-11655474416. When given a mutual hug following mutual losses, we were comforted and knew as neighbors that we were not alone in our memories. Harmon Waley pleaded guilty and was sentenced to 45 years in prison. Continue reading your article witha WSJ subscription, Already a member? (renews at {{format_dollars}}{{start_price}}{{format_cents}}/month + tax). Kidnappers held him for eight days and sent his father on several missions via hidden notes to accomplish tasks. He was a coach, a cheerleader and mentor to all of us. Weyerhaeuser served as president and CEO from 1966 to 1991 and continued to serve as Board chairman through 1999. After serving 28 years of his sentence, Harmon was hired by Weyerhaeuser at one of the companys plants in Oregon. But, according to local historian and former Tacoma Mayor Bill Baarsma, one event in the citys past stands above the rest in terms of the white-hot attention it garnered: the kidnapping and eventual safe return of 9-year-old George Weyerhaeuser in 1935. After serving 28 years of his sentence, Harmon was hired by Weyerhaeuser at one of the companys plants in Oregon. I mean, they sent over a reporter from the London Times to cover the trial, Johnston said. At one point, he was shackled at the bottom of an underground pit. Timber scion George Weyerhaeuser was just 9 . Just know that I care. Great-grandson of the companys founder Frederick Weyerhaeuser, died on June 11. His sons captors gave him a second chance the following evening, and on Thursday, May 30, 1935 in the woods near Angle Lake he left the money in the front seat of his running car and walked away. In my opinion, its the most fascinating crime story in Washington state history, by an absolute mile, said Bryan Johnston, who published a book on the ordeal just last year. The last member of the founding family to lead the company, Weyerhaeuser was named CEO in 1966 when he was 39. Under his leadership, Money Magazine identified Weyerhaeuser Company as one of the five best managed companies in the U.S. May Gods loving kindness and comfort help you and your family through this very difficult time. He didnt talk too much about it, Johnston added. COURTESY PHOTO, Weyerhaeuser. Baarsma, the citys former mayor, attended Lowell Elementary in the 1940s just a few years after the Weyerhaeuser kidnapping. He left a tremendous legacy and will be greatly missed by everyone in the greater Weyerhaeuser family and community, he said. The pandemic is supposed to be over. George Weyerhaeuser, whose father, grandfather, great-grandfather and great-great-grandfather all headed the Federal Way timber products company bearing their surname, has died. These changes included advances in sustainable, high-yield forestry and wood products research, expansion into overseas markets, and many other achievements. In Federal Way, the Weyerhaeuser King County Aquatic Center has been the site for dozens of championship swim and dive meets, Olympic Trials and other important events. He was also a key supporter for WeyerhaeuserKing CountyAquatic Center, which was a central venue in the 1990 Seattle Goodwill Games. Stockfish went on to say that over his years of leadership in the company, he brought about transformational changes to the company. He was always there for the museum, Warner said. George Weyerhaeuser Sr. He had served as chairman of the Pulp and Paper Research Institute of Canada and chairman of the Canadian National Advisory Board on Forestry Research. Please keep letters to 300 words or less. George Weyerhaeuser Sr., leaves legacy in Longview, on industry after death George Weyerhaeuser Sr., the fourth-generation heir of his family's timber company, died Saturday at the age of 95 . In May 1935, when George Weyerhaeuser was 8, his grandfather John P. Weyerhaeuser Sr. died. Weyerhaeuser served in the Navy from 1944 to 1946 and graduated from Yale in 1949. Mr. Weyerhaeuser joined the company in Dierks, Ark., in 1978 and served there in various capacities including forester and contract logger administrator before becoming sawmill supervisor in 1980. You can cancel at any time. In the late 1950s, George Weyerhaeuser Sr. entered the executive ranks at company headquarters in downtown Tacoma, as an assistant to the executive vice president, but quickly moved up. Thats a big deal | Opinion, Racial disparities persist in WA prisons. When we wanted to build a world class aquatic center in the Puget Sound region in 1990, George helped us site it in then-unincorporated Federal Way, said von Reichbauer. FBI agents had compiled the serial numbers of the 20,000 bills included in the ransom money, according to the site, and before long they began to surface. In 2021, we generated $10.2 billion in net sales and employed approximately 9,200 people who serve customers worldwide. John Larson, director of Polson Museum,. One Friday in May 1935, 8-year-old George Weyerhaeuser was on his way home from school in Tacoma, Wash., when a stranger seized him, bundled him into a car and covered him with a blanket. Kidnappers held him for eight days and sent his father on several missions via hidden notes to accomplish tasks. As Paul Roberts of the Seattle Times wrote in a lengthy and fitting obituary, not only did Weyerhaeuser spend nearly six decades working for the timber company that bears the familys name including nearly 30 years as CEO he made numerous valuable civic contributions across the region during his long life. In 1967, Weyerhaeuser rolled out its high-yield forestry strategy essentially, a continuous process of logging and regeneration that included replanting clear-cuts within a year of harvest; fertilizers and herbicides; thinning; and breeding more productive, faster-growing seedlings. I am sorry for your loss. George had fallen into the clutches of Harmon Metz Waley and William Dainard, who hatched their plot in Spokane after reading about the Weyerhaeusers in the May 17 obituary of George's. And he was only in his 20s.. The boy's family paid a ransom for his release on June 1, 1935. Family-controlled Dillards has combined share buybacks with keeping costs down, inventory tight and staff engaged with nearly fanatical customers. Broke down and cried, Seahawks accomplish 1 of their combine goals: Get the NFL thinking theyd take a QB at 5, Arrest warrant issued for Tacoma woman with TB. from 8 AM - 9 PM ET. King County Solid Waste Division will have an online food waste survey open until April 30. Thats another thing that made the story so big, Baarsma said. He will be missed but surely would pass on his hugs and comfort to all of us as we go forth in remembrance of one of the finest gentlemen "-on-the Lake"! There was Jack the Bear, and later, Ivan the Gorilla. i love you always My prayers to all of the family. He was more interested in what was best for the company, not for George Weyerhaeuser. George Weyerhaeuser Sr., former Weyerhaeuser Company CEO and president and great-grandson of the companys founder Frederick Weyerhaeuser, died June 11 at the age of 95. George Weyerhaeuser himself played the stoic. The Weyerhaeuser family is planning a memorial service for later this summer. i loved being your little girl. address and daytime phone number. Please allow 24 hours for your entry to be reviewed for appropriate content. Share George's life story with friends and family. You appear to be using an older browser. Once the money had been gathered, Georges father was instructed to run a personal ad in the Seattle Post-Intelligencer that read, We are ready. George Weyerhaeuser Sr.'s death . George Weyerhaeuser Sr., former Weyerhaeuser Company CEO and president and great-grandson of the companys founder Frederick Weyerhaeuser, died June 11 at the age of 95. These changes included advances in sustainable, high-yield forestry and wood products research, expansion into overseas markets, and many other achievements. The company sold the mill in 2016 to One Rock Capital Partners, a private equity firm headquartered in New York. He oversaw significant growth of the company, including a number of major. TACOMA George Weyerhaeuser Jr., scion of the family that founded the Federal Way-based timber-products company that bears his name and a Tacoma civic and business leader in his own right, has died. Weyerhaeuser served as president and CEO from 1966 to 1991 and continued to serve as Board chairman through 1999. You have permission to edit this article. George Weyerhaeuser was transported to a rental house in Spokane, while his parents John and Helen Weyerhaeuser worked to collect the ransom money on short notice, which was no small feat even for a family of considerable financial means. Weyerhaeuser, who was succeeded by Jack Creighton in 1991, is believed to be the last family member to serve in company management. William Dainard, then 33, was sentenced to 60 years in prison; Harmon Metz Waley, then 23, was sentenced to 45 years in prison; and Margaret Eldora Thulin, then 19, was sentenced to 20 years. Weyerhaeusers executive career was also marked by major challenges and controversy. I don't know how you feel but I'm here to help in any way I can. It was his obituary, which detailed the family's timber wealth, that reportedly inspired the. A group of 13 rural counties and some 150 taxing districts is asking the Oregon Supreme Court to reinstate a $1.1 billion award against the st. He oversaw significant growth of the company, including a number of major. No memorial events are currently scheduled.