Colby Lind Haugness

Colby Lind Haugness --- April 7, 1976-May 21, 2026

Colby was born in Bellingham, Washington in the year of our country’s Bicentennial Celebration. His birth certificate declared him a ‘Bicentennial Baby’.

He grew up in ‘downtown’ Custer, which was a wonderful place for a boy to play, learn and explore. He always had a scheme for making money (selling fruit & vegetables and retrieving golf balls to name a couple). He attended Custer Grade School, Vista Middle School and Ferndale High School where he made many lasting friendships. His love of singing became evident when he joined the high school swing choir. He excelled in many sports (football & baseball being his favorites). He continued to support FHS football program all his adult years. He had a mind that was exceptional at memorizing, analyzing & creating. He graduated with honors from FHS in 1995.

Colby attended WSU and of course remained a Coug fan his entire life. He walked on and made the football team; but, because he was not on a scholarship it became too much to continue after that first year. He joined Phi Sigma Kappa and remained true to that fraternity and his frat ‘brothers’. The summer after he turned 21, he attended bartender’s school and that next fall he got a job at ‘Shakers’ on campus. That was right-up-his-alley, because he could be right in the middle of all the action and yet get paid for it! He has remained friends with many from his college days.

Colby’s first major at WSU was Hotel, Motel & Restaurant Management. While pursuing that degree, the university started a real estate program and chose 1 guy & 1 gal from each major to participate. Colby was chosen from his department. It didn’t take long for him to fall in love with real estate and he changed his major. He graduated from WSU in 1999.

Right from college he landed a job with Marcus & Millichap in the Bellevue office selling commercial real estate all over the USA. He received many national awards which brought job offers from other companies. He chose to move to San Diego and started with a small firm and when that job wasn’t to his liking he went back to Marcus & Millichap in the San Diego office. When the market slowed considerably, he came back to Whatcom County for a couple years and opened his own office (Colby & Co). Warmer weather was always to his liking and so when M & M offered him the position of sales manager he returned to San Diego. From there he took a regional manager position in Cincinnati for M & M. But, he missed ‘selling’ and warm weather and so he moved to Tampa where he remained until February of this year. Colby held active real estate licenses in 7 states. He was a trusted mentor to many nationwide.

During his 2nd time in California, he was diagnosed with a very rare Clival Chordoma tumor. Only 1 in a million have this---and, in Colby style he told his doctors, “1 in a million? Why couldn’t I have won the lottery?” The tumor was slow growing and was monitored until he got to Tampa and had surgery in 2020. They could not remove it all because it was around a main artery to the brain & the optic nerve. In March of 2025 they did a second surgery with the same results. In January of this year he was admitted to ER with other problems, but there they discovered the tumor was growing again. This hospital stay compromised his brain and he could not take care of himself. He came back to Whatcom County under the care of Hospice & his family. The evening of May 21st he was taken to Hospice House in Bellingham, and in only 4 hours he transitioned peacefully into heaven with immediate family surrounding him with love.

Colby loved friends & family and was always willing to go above & beyond to support them in any way he could. He loved to travel and was always up for a trip & adventure. He liked cooking, reading, television, electronics, socializing & working. He was always full of ideas to help others and loved sharing them. He was an imitator & jokster. He was renowned for mentoring other commercial real estate agents.

Colby will be greatly missed by his parents- Ron & Nancy Haugness of Everson; his brother- Brandon (Jennifer) Haugness & niece Grace Haugness, all of Bellingham; lifelong friend- Donny Bennett of Custer; plus many other friends--- too numerous to mention--- but you know who you are!!!; his close friend- Carly VanSingel & her daughters, Katie VanSingel & Bridgette VanSingel, who he treated as his own; and many extended family. He was predeceased by maternal grandparents- Harry Telgenhoff, Bertha Telgenhoff Abrams & Cecil Abrams; paternal grandparents- Norval Haugness & Betty (Bill) Jones.

In his will is this note he wanted shared: “To all, I lived an amazing life, seen it, done it, but the best parts were that all of you were a part of it, and for that I have no regrets… maybe a few 😊…”

A Celebration of Life is being planned and will be posted soon.

Memorials can be made to Ferndale High School football program or your favorite charity.