Dan Houston McLachlan

Dan H. McLachlan, 77, of Genesee, Idaho passed away peacefully at home Wednesday, February 26, 2020, with his loving wife, Edie, by his side.

Dan was born August 28, 1942, in Greenwich Connecticut, the son of Dan McLachlan Jr. and Fredolyn (Walker) McLachlan.  Dan graduated from Elwood P. Cubberley High School in Palo Alto, California with the graduating class of 1960.

Immediately after finishing high school and being inspired by the great cattle drives of the Old West, Dan took two horses and what he could carry, and set out to ride from Canada to Mexico.  After some interesting travels, he ended up spending the remainder of that summer working as a cowboy in Montana.  He documented and wrote about this adventure in his memoir entitled "Green and Roughshod, I Should’ve Stayed a Montana Cowboy".

Dan went back to school and went on to earn a BA then MA in English from Washington State University, a teaching degree from Pacific Lutheran University, then a teaching certification from Western Washington State University.  He did his PhD studies at University of Puget Sound, Pacific Lutheran University and Chapman University in New Zealand.

Dan was a professor at WSU, Olympic Community College, Tacoma Community College and Pacific Lutheran University.  He also worked as a teacher at Curtis Senior High School, University Place and Moscow High School.  In retirement, he was also a substitute teacher at Colton School.

Dan was an author of many books, articles and short stories, including the books: "The Fieldbook of Pacific Northwest Creatures", "Raven’s Orca", "MacAvity’s Pub", "MacAvity’s Burning", "MacAvity’s Pub and the Land Grab", and "Green and Roughshod, I Should’ve Stayed a Montana Cowboy".

Throughout his life Dan was an avid scuba diver, mountain climber, rock climber and hiker.

Dan is survived by: his wife Edith (Edie) McLachlan; his son Peter McLachlan and wife Amy Larson; his brother Edward McLachlan; three stepsons, Chris Whitemyer (Anja) and family, James Whitemyer (Heather), and Joseph Brooks; numerous nieces and nephews; and many, many friends!

A Celebration of Life will be scheduled and held at a later date.  Memorial donations can be made to: Genesee Ambulance Fund, PO Box 187, Genesee, ID 83832; or Kindred Hospice, 1610 NE Eastgate Blvd., #850 Pullman, WA 99163.

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