Wallace Valentino Gri, 86, died Sunday, May 17, 2009, at his Bellevue home.

Mr. Gri resided in the Woodridge neighborhood since 1960. He was born Feb. 7, 1923 in Spokane to Alfonso and Grace Gri. During most of his childhood and young adult years he lived in San Mateo, Calif., with his father and stepmother, Santina Gri. During World War II Mr. Gri worked for Pan American Airways, providing aircraft maintenance services to the U.S. Navy in the South Pacific and, following the war, to the U.S. Army in Europe.

He met Margaret Igoe while working in Europe, and they were married in her home town, Ballymore, Ireland, on Sept. 18, 1946. Mr. Gri returned to the U.S. during 1947.

During 1960 he began his career with the Boeing Co., and moved with his family to Bellevue.

Mr. Gri is survived by his wife, Margaret, four children, Paul Gri of Bellevue, Deirdre Daigle of Seattle, Maureen Newman of Bellevue, and Daniel Gri of Oakton, VA; and six grandchildren.

Recitation of rosary will be at 7 p.m. on Friday, May 22, at St. Madeleine Sophie Church in Bellevue. A funeral Mass will take place at noon on Saturday, May 23, at St. Madeleine Sophie Church.