Hugh Warren Leitch

Longtime Port Townsend resident H. Warren Leitch passed away peacefully on April 16th 2025. Warren was born in Portland Oregon to his parents Dr. Gordon B, Leitch and Anna Warren Leitch. He was preceded in death by his parents and older brother Dr. Gordon B. Leitch and is survived by his sister Nancy Pedersen.

He was also preceded in death by his beloved wife of over 65 years Beverly (“Bev”) Ann Barclay Leitch. Warren is survived by his four sons: John /(Leslie deceased), David/ Susan, Tom/Tamara, Charles/Amy, Seven grandchildren: Brian, Darren/Kelli, Stuart/Molly, Patrick/Sara, Ian/Lauren, Alex, Hiwot, Alayna, Colton, and six great grandchildren: Jake, Warren. Yisak, Ford, Yosuf, and Auri.

Warren attended Lincoln High School in Portland and graduated from Whitman College in 1957. After college, Warren began his business career working at the Boeing Company, then moved on to work with his father-in-law, Albert Balch at Crawford and Conover and Balch Construction. He then formed Warren Construction to build homes. He also joined Century Savings and Loan Association as a senior lending officer working with other contractors. In the middle 1970’s he changed careers, becoming a personal financial planner with Hugh Barclay and Associates in Bellevue. He was one of the first solar energy advocates in the Northwest and remained active in non-profit fundraising, serving at times on various school and community organization boards.

When he eventually retired to Port Townsend in the 1990s, he found his desire to work again, so he joined Port Townsend Lumber and eventually moved to Kingston Lumber when Port Townsend Lumber was closed.

Warren was instilled with a love of the Northwest and came from a long line of active outdoorsmen, his Canadian father notable in his formative years. He grew up with adventures deep into the Canadian Wilderness to his family’s cabin and long backpacks throughout the Northwest. This love of the outdoors he instilled in his children and he shared and encouraged such pursuits at every turn. He always kept his REI co-op number handy (it was 8xxxxL) and loved to trek to Canada to visit the Mountain Equipment Co-op (MEC) to see the newest innovations. (Warren, it should be noted, remained staunch in his criticism of Coleman stoves due to bad experiences in the 1950s and was an advocate of waterproof ponchos). He loved few things more than a good fire burning at a cozy hearth or a firepit or a good storm (preferably with a power outage so candles or storm lamps were needed). He was lucky enough to enjoy trips in his final years deep into the Central Cascades to family cabins where he would offer opinions on woodcutting and fire starting as he sipped his glass of wine in the wilderness.

Any story of Warren’s life, however, is intertwined with that of the love of his life Bev. It was during the Summers after high school while both were working at Camp Nor’wester on Lopez Island in the 1950s where Warren first met Bev. She, a spirited girl from the University of Washington, and him, the active outdoorsman in the tradition of his father, loved those years and both spoke fondly of them often. During their first youthful Summer, while Bev was working as a pantry girl and Warren a dishwasher, she did think Warren was a bit of a handful and reportedly hit him with a pan after he sprayed her with water, nearly unintentionally knocking him out (Knowing Warren he deserved it). Eventually though, over a few Summer years at camp working up to counselors, they discovered a true affection that lasted for the rest of their lives.

Warren and Bev shared their time as strong and connected loves do, and missed each other when apart. They drove their children crazy growing up taking the “scenic route” home and were famous for just leaving a note when the children were older that they were catching a flight somewhere on standby from SeaTac. They loved each other and, even when arguing, would dismiss it to family and friends as a "spirited discussion.” Warren particularly cherished the times he and Bev spent in Port Townsend and the experiences he shared with friends and family within their community. Warren has missed Bev so much since her passing that it is comforting that they are together again.

A Celebration of Life is being held on June 7th, 2025, located at St. Paul’s Episcopal Church, at 11:30 a.m. Family and friends are invited to share memories and sign the guestbook.