Bernard J. Storey, Active In Gop And A Special Friend To The Needy

Bernard J. "BJ" Storey was a devout, lifelong Republican. He was proud of his political party and worked hard and long to get many of its members elected to public office.

But lest you think he was blind to the problems of less fortunate citizens - often the rap against the party he loved - listen to the words of Jo Ann Storey, his wife of 43 years:

"Barney was very concerned. He was very soft-hearted. If he was on the way out to the University District, he'd pick up people, give them a ride and then take them to breakfast. He was just a generous, open-hearted person."

Bernard Storey, a Depression child and former Boeing executive, engineer and president of SHS Enterprise, a private investment firm, died June 12 at Group Health Hospital after a long struggle with asthma and complications. He was 73.

Shortly after his mechanical engineering training at the University of Washington, he began his 32-year career at The Boeing Co. There, he worked on tool design for the B-17. Later, at the end of his career, he worked on the 747.

Active in local politics, Mr. Storey served as precinct committeeman for the Republican Party during the Eisenhower presidency and subsequently participated in numerous campaigns.

"He just felt it was important to get the best person elected to office, so he worked hard at doing just that," Jo Ann Storey said.

Despite his personal success - his rise from the ranks of the needy - he still felt an obligation to make easier the lives of those less fortunate.

"Barney was a Depression child, and he and his family were very conscious of how hard hit everybody was during that period," said Jo Ann Storey. To survive, Mr. Storey worked three paper routes.

Perhaps that's why, his wife said, he made it known to everyone that while he strongly embraced his Republican affiliation, it was the moderate tenets of Eisenhower - and political contemporaries such as Dan Evans and Joel Pritchard - that really moved him.

"He was not a conservative Republican," Jo Ann Storey said. "He was progressive in his ideals, and he's always gone along with social concerns, but with economic responsibility. Down through his life he has always affiliated with groups where there were charitable aspects."

Patricia Twomey, director of the University District Food Bank, a private nonprofit agency, said Mr. Storey's determined leadership helped her struggling food bank survive the first few years after it opened in 1983.

"He was one of my first board members. He served about four years, and then became ill and had to leave," Twomey said. "But he was very generous with his personal money, and very generous with his time."

On more than a few instances - during crisis situations - Mr. Storey bailed out several desperate clients.

"When some individuals needed more than food, he helped them out with financial assistance," she said.

He also was very instrumental in getting a new freezer for the food bank and raising much-needed money.

"I think he felt he had the resources and the time to donate to others, so he did," Twomey said. "And he really was a mover. He got things done."

Mr. Storey was born in Seattle, grew up in the Roosevelt District and was a World War II veteran. He sang in the choir at St. Margaret's Church where he was president of the Holy Name Society and chairman of numerous church functions.

He loved the outdoors and was an avid skier, golfer, sailor and jogger. He was also an accomplished gymnast and performed publicly during his college and early career years.

After retiring from Boeing, he served as president and board member of the University Kiwanis. He also traveled around the world with his family.

"When he traveled, he loved to rent a large car and go out and meet the people," Jo Ann Storey said. "He spoke Spanish well, and he'd head out into the villages of Spain and meet people, talk to them. He loved to travel."

In addition to his wife, Mr. Storey is survived by four children, John and Paul, of Citrus Heights, Calif.; Pamela and Melissa; and one grandchild.

Instead of flowers, the family suggests remembrances to the American Lung Association, The Bernard J. Storey UW Engineering Scholarship Fund, c/o Mechanical Engineering Department, University of Washington, FU-10, Seattle, 98115; the Millionair's Club; or the charity of your choice.

A funeral Mass was scheduled at 10 a.m. today at St. Margaret's Catholic Church, 14th Avenue West and West Dravus Street.