Chauncey Upton LeValleyJuly 26, 1927 — April 26, 2022
Chauncey Upton LeValley, passed away on Tuesday, April 26, 2022, at Park Manor in Walla Walla. Chauncey was born July 26, 1927, in Glendale, CA the only child of Chauncey and Margaret LeValley and graduated Burbank High School there in California. As a young man he played saxophone and formed a band using music his mother had written for them. He was also an accomplished tap-dancer and performed during movie intermissions. Later, he pursued sports in school. Motivated to get onto the Varsity football team because he’d been told he was too small, he beefed up by baling hay during the summer at a family ranch. He was so successful and popular he became class president his senior year.
Chauncey spent a year in Naval Air Communications during the war. A couple years after he left the service, he married Loretta Jane Kirkpatrick on January 30, 1948, and had a brief stint at USC studying accounting. When Loretta became pregnant with their first child and his mother suggested he pick carpentry as a trade, he left school to pursue an apprentice license. He consequently worked many construction jobs that culminated in their purchase of a property in Woodland Hills, where they built a home from scratch. They talk of endless trips hauling bricks thrown out from gutted buildings during the Los Angeles freeway expansion. They often said they cut their teeth on that first home and learned everything they thought they’d ever need to know. Well almost.
Now with three boys and after years of frustration trying to make ends meet working as a general contractor, he made a pivotal move that would change his life. He spent the better part of the prior two years ankle deep in concrete work, sometimes up to 18 hours a day. For the toll it was taking on the family and all those hours away from home, he and Loretta reasoned that a drastic change was necessary. He packed up the whole family including three sons, and a mother-in-law into a Pontiac Catalina and moved to Walla Walla.
He worked odd jobs there including laying tile for his relative, Tom Jensen, who had a tile business in town. Eventually Loretta and he put together the funds to purchase their first property. The plan was to pay himself wages and eventually sell the home. This had all the potential for success because of his background and experience.
Their biggest break came when they purchased a large property at the corner of Francis and Blue. At first the intent was to build each duplex and sell it, as they had done before, but realized they could finance the next duplex while renting out half of the one just built. This proved to be a working combination once they finished multiple duplexes. It would be an understatement to say how all those years of working on tract homes during the Southern California housing boom played a part in their success. They would eventually build 21 units. This was long before the advent of prefab rafters and power nailers. Nearly every aspect of the construction had to be done by hand.
Now he could spend more time with his family. He coached the Cox Jones Little League baseball team while his two sons played. Every winter he took the family to ski resorts all over the state and owned a speed boat in order to water ski at the Snake River during summers.
Chauncey lived a full life. At age 50 he earned his BA in Business from Eastern Washington State University through Walla Walla Community College’s extension program. He became a pilot and flew for 20 years. He eventually got instrument rated on his Bonanza. He was involved in community service as a Rotarian and was active in “Bold Ventures” investment club. He got a real estate license and an appraiser’s certification and worked in both fields.
His love of sports carried into his later years. He became so active in tennis that he helped spearhead support for the construction of the tennis courts at Walla Walla Country Club.
In his late 60s Chauncey was a cancer survivor after chemo treatments to his bladder. He and Loretta travelled extensively. They made trips to nearly every continent. They visited The Great Wall, went on a safari in Africa and made the arduous trek up to Machu Pichu in Peru. Never afraid to do something new, at the age of 75 he bungee jumped from a high bridge in New Zealand.
Chauncey’s entrepreneurial spirit was an inspiration to others who knew him and
having the physicality and where-with-all to accomplish what he did was a testament to his character and fortitude. He is survived by his wife, Loretta Jane; and three sons: Dana Craig (Monique), Gary Todd (Gloria) and Brandon Daniel (Dawn). He has six grandchildren and many great-grandchildren.Due to unforeseen circumstances, the services have been postponed until a later date. Services will be posted once we have the new date and time.
Published Union-Bulletin, Walla Walla, Washington, May 2022
