John SAYRE
Apr 01, 1936 -Nov 9, 2023
John Sayre died on November 9th, 2023 at home with his family. He died as he lived, fighting like a champion. Survived by his wife of 64 years, Pat, and children: Scott, Steve (Janet), Barbara, and Rebecca and grandchildren: Spencer, Sayre, and Travis and his dog, Ole.
John graduated from the University of Washington in1956, where he found a life-long touchstone through crew; a journey that took him to a historic victory on the Moscow Reservoir, the Pan American Games in Chicago, culminating in a gold medal as the stroke in the four man without coxswain at the 1960 Olympics in Rome.
These experiences opened an international lens that permeated the rest of his life and led to his next endeavor as the Cast Director of Up with People. This role took him around the world and his family around the country. From there, John worked as a writer with the Jacques Cousteau Society, Pace Magazine, and the US Department of Interior. A communications position with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service brought the family back to the Northwest, where he played a role in the communications between Northwest tribes and federal agencies during the years before the US Ninth Circuit Court avowed to uphold tribal treaty rights regarding salmon fishing in the Pacific Northwest.
John felt there needed to be more voices advocating for the fish themselves.
This drive led him to join with others to form Long Live the Kings, an organization committed to restoring wild Chinook salmon populations on the Olympic Peninsula and in the Salish Sea. He also took part in the formation of the Save Our wild Salmon Coalition, dedicated to restoring salmon and steelhead in the Snake and Columbia River Basin. With Northwest Chinook Recovery he worked with farmers and tribes to find common ground around issues that impact livelihoods and fish habitat.
John thrived in the elements, especially water. He loved to hunt almost as much as he loved to fish.
Arustic cabin in the San Juans was the site of many formative family memories.
John adored music. He often played Beethoven at full volume and felt a kinship with Willie Nelson. He and Pat enjoyed entertaining and feeding family and friends the bounty brought home from his ventures.
John found renewed inspiration in his latter years by working with Base Camp Explorer and Mara Conservancies, a collaboration to tie tourist dollars to an effort that centers the Maasai people in the conservation of the Masai Mara in Kenya.
John has made an indelible impression on his family and friends the world over. He will be missed.
John graduated from the University of Washington in1956, where he found a life-long touchstone through crew; a journey that took him to a historic victory on the Moscow Reservoir, the Pan American Games in Chicago, culminating in a gold medal as the stroke in the four man without coxswain at the 1960 Olympics in Rome.
These experiences opened an international lens that permeated the rest of his life and led to his next endeavor as the Cast Director of Up with People. This role took him around the world and his family around the country. From there, John worked as a writer with the Jacques Cousteau Society, Pace Magazine, and the US Department of Interior. A communications position with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service brought the family back to the Northwest, where he played a role in the communications between Northwest tribes and federal agencies during the years before the US Ninth Circuit Court avowed to uphold tribal treaty rights regarding salmon fishing in the Pacific Northwest.
John felt there needed to be more voices advocating for the fish themselves.
This drive led him to join with others to form Long Live the Kings, an organization committed to restoring wild Chinook salmon populations on the Olympic Peninsula and in the Salish Sea. He also took part in the formation of the Save Our wild Salmon Coalition, dedicated to restoring salmon and steelhead in the Snake and Columbia River Basin. With Northwest Chinook Recovery he worked with farmers and tribes to find common ground around issues that impact livelihoods and fish habitat.
John thrived in the elements, especially water. He loved to hunt almost as much as he loved to fish.
Arustic cabin in the San Juans was the site of many formative family memories.
John adored music. He often played Beethoven at full volume and felt a kinship with Willie Nelson. He and Pat enjoyed entertaining and feeding family and friends the bounty brought home from his ventures.
John found renewed inspiration in his latter years by working with Base Camp Explorer and Mara Conservancies, a collaboration to tie tourist dollars to an effort that centers the Maasai people in the conservation of the Masai Mara in Kenya.
John has made an indelible impression on his family and friends the world over. He will be missed.