Bryan Douglas Monroe died April 13th, 2022, at his home in Kingston, WA. He was 55 years old.
Bryan was born September 5, 1966, at Lutheran Hospital in Wheatridge, CO, to Nancy Carol (Towne) and Alan Randall “Randy” Hughes.
From his earliest days, Bryan loved to talk. Learning to speak in full sentences by the time he was two years old, he was able to tell stories and entertain his bed-ridden father, who died from cancer when Bryan was 2-1/2 years old.
Bryan lived in Westminster, Colorado until 1975, attending Westy Hills Elementary. He participated in dance and gymnastics classes and was active in Cub Scouts. In 1975, he and his family moved to Medford, OR, where he spent the remainder of his childhood.
In 1977, his mother married Ralph Monroe and, in 1978, following adoption by his stepfather, Bryan’s last name was changed to Monroe.
He attended school in Medford from 1975-1985 and graduated from Medford Senior High School. He earned many academic awards throughout his school years and was part of a talented and gifted program at the University of Oregon in 1980.
In 1985, he left Oregon to attend the University of Puget Sound in Tacoma, where he fell in love with Washington and decided to make it his home.
Bryan had a life-long love of science. As a small boy, he expressed a desire to be a pathologist. During his college days, he was obsessed by shark behavior and scuba diving and dreamed of being the next Jacques Cousteau. He trained for a while as an EMT, and after graduation with a BS in Microbiology and Marine Biology, Bryan took a job for NOAA as a fisheries liaison and ships’ medic. After a year at sea, he decided the sailors’ life was not for him, and he found his niche in the fledgling Seattle Biotech industry.
Bryan worked for many global pharmaceutical companies during his career, which spanned more than three decades. In 2011, following an industry downsizing, he started his own successful consulting company. Bryan felt fortunate to have contributed to many scientific discoveries and medical advances, including insulin, blood factors, fusion proteins, and cell therapies, as well as diagnostic kits for HIV and HTLV.
It was during his tenure at Seattle-based Genetic Systems that he met his wife, Micki. They were married nearly 27 years, and resided in Kingston, WA, for the last 21 years.
Wherever he traveled, people knew him as “Hawaiian Shirt Guy,” because of his eccentric fashion sense, which he blamed on his colorblindness. He said, “If I wear all the colors, something’s bound to match.” At least, it made spotting him in a crowd much easier.
Bryan was preceded in death by his father, Randy Hughes; his dad, Ralph Monroe; his grandparents, Earle and Laura Towne of Westminster, CO, and Harry and Helen Hughes of Jacksonville, OR; and his cousins David Hughes and Sandy Garrett, both of Colorado. His four-legged children, Shasta, Nakita, Rio, Zephyr and Tosca will hopefully be among those greeting him in the beyond, if you believe in that sort of thing.
He is survived by his wife, Micki Monroe; mother, Nancy Monroe; sister Kimberly Howitt-Ross (Chuck Ross); half-brother Curtis Hughes (Awilda); stepsiblings Scott Monroe (Bill Carney), Cristi Remick (Michael), and Melanie Sam (Paul); nephews Lance Howitt, Blaine Howitt (Katie), and Jeremy Ross; great niece Nina Howitt. He will be missed forever by numerous cousins, in-laws, nieces, nephews, and friends. And his furry children, Luna, Pixie and Gibbs miss him terribly.
A celebration of life for Bryan will be held on May 21st at 3:00PM at the Indianola Clubhouse in Indianola, WA.
In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation to the Kathleen Sutton Inspirational Fund, Kitsap Humane Society, or simply adopt a dog in memory of “The Dogfather.”
