'He loved the land, the earth'

Mark Woytowich, the outdoors columnist for the Shelton-Mason County Journal for seven years and the author of "Where the Waterfalls and Wild Things Are," was remembered as a gregarious, big-hearted lover of nature and his fellow humans at a memorial celebration Sunday at Rest-A-While RV Park's Art & Music Fair north of Hoodsport.

Friends shared their stories of the Lilliwaup resident, who died of a heart attack at age 65 on May 6 at Mason General Hospital in Shelton. The Ohio native who adopted the rainforests and waterfalls of the Olympic Mountains 28 years ago hosted a booth at the fair, where he sold his book.

"He was a naturalist, a journalist, he loved the land, the earth," said Elizabeth Bennett, who manages the RV park. "He cherished this planet."

Woytowich shared some of his outdoors adventures with outdoors photographer George Stenberg, who also sells his works at a booth at the fair. Stenberg recalled meeting Woytowich about eight years ago at the Union City Market.

"He kind of looked like he just came out of the wild," he said, adding, "I didn't know he was a famous writer."

Woytowich wanted to write a column about the photographer, and after that teamed to produce pieces together exploring back country terrain. They travelled precarious forest service roads and shared a beer or two at their destination.

"It was good to get to know him that way," Stenberg said.

TrashMash! Litter Posse, the group Woytowich founded, will continue. The group meets twice a month to walk trails to pick up garbage. Volunteers can gather at 9 a.m. July 7 at the Hoodsport visitor center.

Woytowich's book is available at http://www.wherewaterfallsare.com.