Warren “Bud” Pringle, 84, passed away at Blossom Creek Memory facility in Wenatchee on April 17, 2019. Bud was born Sept. 23, 1934, to Corky Pringle and Louise (Spray) Pringle in Modesto, California. Bud spent most of his childhood in Modesto and Salidas, California. The family later moved to the Bridgeport Bar on the Columbia River in Washington.
Bud and his sister Doris graduated from Brewster High School. After high school and various orchard jobs, Bud was drafted and spent two years in Germany as U.S. Army Infantry. His focus and school involved electronics. After discharge and returning to the states, he became part of a ground crew at Douglas County PUD (in Bridgeport), where his father worked as a lineman and lineman operator. Bud completed a lineman apprenticeship with the PUD, then married Janet Badger, who he met at a Winthrop Barn dance, and built a house on Lyle Street in East Wenatchee. They had two children, Mindi and Monte.
After working locally, he then completed a three-year Grand Coulee Dam/Bonneville Transmission Project that took them south as far as Palmdale, California. Bud took a job as manager of the Okanogan County Electric Co-Op and moved his family back to Winthrop, in the beautiful Methow Valley. He later married Marilyn Belsby (Purvis) with her two boys: Daren and Brian.
Bud was an outdoors person. He packed into the high mountain lakes of the Cascades on horseback and on foot. He made the trip from Canada to Winthrop on the Pacific Crest Trail. Bud was also an athlete. He played high school sports. He started fast-pitch softball in the Army. When he got to Wenatchee, he was well-known and considered a ringer. He continued playing softball into his 60s. He ran a lot of miles on Eastside Road, and 5K and 10K entries all over the state. He completed in some triathlon competitions, which include swimming, biking and running. Bud was a regular at Bear Creek Golf Course and is on the wall for a hole-in-one. He coached little league baseball and worked with the local Lady Lions and the pitching squad.
Bud touched many lives in his 84 years. He wore a kind and warm smile and liked to help others.
He is survived by two children, Monte of East Wenatchee, and Mindi (Steve) of East Wenatchee; two step-sons, Daren (Sara) of Winthrop, and Brian (Deanna) of Spokane; seven grandchildren, Seth and Jessica Stuart of East Wenatchee, Britney Pringle of Seattle, Ayla and Maeve Belsby of Winthrop, and Brent and Tenaya Belsby of Spokane; two nephews; and one niece. He was preceded in death by his wife, Marilyn Pringle (Purvis); mother and father, Louise and Corky Pringle; and his sister, Doris Lacross.
A celebration of life will be held on Sunday, May 19, 2019, at 1 p.m., at the Winthrop Barn, 51 North Hwy 20, Winthrop. You are invited to view his tribute online at www.HeritageMemorialChapel.com to leave a condolence or share a memory. Arrangements are in the care of Heritage Memorial Chapel, East Wenatchee and Cashmere.
