Bryan James Early, 51, of Bellingham WA, passed away Saturday, Jan. 4, 2014 at Evergreen Hospice in Kirkland, after an eight year battle against adenoidal cystic carcinoma, a rare and incurable cancer. Bryan was born in Bethpage NY, Sept. 26, 1962 to Mary and Joseph Early.  From NY, the family moved to Naples, Italy for a year and then settled on Mercer Island where Bryan graduated from MIHS in 1980. After high school, Bryan earned his Forestry Degree at Peninsula College in Port Angeles. He lived the past 30 years in Bellingham, marrying Lee Ann Kelly, raising their daughter Maia and playing in the Lindsay Street band.

Without a doubt the 3 most important things in Bryan’s life were family & friends, anything to do with boats and the sea, and the music he played for 14 years with the band Lindsay Street.  He was the sweetest, kindest man with a quiet, wry, intelligent sense of humor.  Bryan constantly had projects in progress. His talents included auto and marine mechanics, plumbing, electrical, woodworking, tile setting and landscape design. He was always lending a hand to anyone who needed his help. He worked professionally as a boat builder and marine mechanic. When his mother brought home a Bodhran drum from Ireland one year, he taught himself to play it and soon became part of the Lindsay Street band.

He is survived by his wife, Lee Ann Kelly, 12 year old daughter Maia, siblings Patti and her husband Tim Murphy, Dennis and his wife Sharon Early, godson and nephew Michael Murphy, his cousin Doug Early, his loving nieces and nephews, Jeffrey (Julie) Early, Matthew (Stephanie) Murphy, Mara Early (fiancé David Sheakley) and great-nephew Tevian Early and great-niece Madison Murphy, his mother-in-law Clara Johnson, brother-in-laws, Mark and John Kelly, and many dear friends and extended family members. He was preceded in death by his father in 1997 and most recently, his mother Mary on Nov. 24, 2013.

All friends and family are invited to attend a celebration of Bryan’s life on Saturday, January 18 from 4-7pm in the Encore Room at Mt. Baker Theatre, 104 N. Commercial Street, Bellingham and Mary Early’s memorial service on Monday, Jan. 20, 11am at St. Monica’s on Mercer Island.

To sign his online guestbook and see his full obituary, go to www.mem.com and click on stories or sign his guestbook at legacy.com