A Burien family with deep generational ties to south King County is rallying around elderly grandparents who lost their longtime home last week after flooding and rapid erosion along the Nooksack River in Whatcom County, according to a GoFundMe fundraiser.

Barry and Ruth Hutchinson, grandparents and great grandparents in their 80s, were forced to evacuate after floodwaters overtook their property and the ground surrounding their home collapsed. The site remains unstable and unsafe, and rebuilding is no longer possible, according to information shared by family members.

The loss has resonated strongly in Burien, where the couple’s roots stretch back decades. Barry Hutchinson Sr. was born and raised in the area and graduated from Highline High School in 1958, according to the family. Ruth Hutchinson, whose maiden name is Beringer, later graduated from Mount Rainier High School in the early 1960s.

The couple raised their family in Burien’s Gregory Heights neighborhood, purchasing a newly built home on 13th Ave SW in 1964. They lived there for more than 15 years before relocating in 1980 to rural Whatcom County.

According to the fundraiser, Barry and Ruth spent the next 45 years building a self sufficient life on their land near the Nooksack River. Their home began as a rustic log cabin near a creek, and over the decades they gardened, homesteaded and maintained the property by hand. Barry became known in the surrounding community for offering affordable backhoe services, often helping neighbors through trade or barter.

Flooding has threatened the property for years, the family said. Severe flooding in 2021 destroyed a guest cabin that provided supplemental income, and donations at that time helped stabilize part of the riverbank.

“But now the river has shifted and attacked the property from the opposite direction. The destruction is total,” family members said.

The Hutchinsons have no insurance coverage and live on a fixed income, according to the GoFundMe page. Their insurance policy was canceled decades ago because of an unrelated roof issue and could not be reinstated after repairs.

Funds raised through the fundraiser are intended to help cover emergency housing, replacement of essential belongings, moving and storage costs, and basic living expenses as the couple works with local agencies following their displacement.

The fundraiser was created by family members, who described the loss of the home as devastating for a couple who spent decades contributing quietly to their community in Burien and beyond.

“From our family to yours—thank you for your compassion, your generosity, and your support during the most painful moment of their lives,” the family added.

As of Monday morning, Dec. 15, they’ve raised $18,468 out of a requested $40,000.