Arthur Robert Skaran Sr.

Arthur Robert Skaran Sr., 94, of Bellevue, passed away peacefully on October 13, 2021. He was born

September 2, 1927 in Grand Meadow, MN but has been a resident of this area for 67 years.

Art was raised on a small farm in Minnesota during the heart of the depression. He went barefoot all

summer and rode a horse drawn sleigh to school in the winter. At 18 years old he enlisted in the Navy

and spent 4 years in the Pacific at the end of WWII. He served on a PGM class gun boat in the

Philippines and a small mine sweeper in the Marshall and Caroline Islands. He had many harrowing

experiences and even rode out a typhoon at sea.

After his military service Art moved to Washington State and used the GI Bill to attend the University of

Washington in Seattle. He graduated in 1955 with a B.S. in Mechanical Engineering.

Art met his wife Arlene at a college dance in 1954. They were married two months later and went on to

raise four children. They were fantastic parents and were married 48 years until Arlene’s death in 2002.

After a short stint working for GE at the Hanford nuclear reservation Art landed his dream job with

Boeing as an engineer in Research and Development. He invented the titanium and steel rivet shaver

which was used for shaving rivets flush on missiles and airplanes. After 10 years in R&D he became part

of the original group of engineers that started the 747 program in Everett and was there when the first

747 took flight. Art retired from Boeing in 1990 after 33 years.

In mid life he loved to bow hunt and compete in archery tournaments and take his family camping,

fishing and exploring all around the northwest. He survived, unscathed, the Columbus Day Storm and

150 mph winds while on a hunting trip with a friend near Willapa Bay in 1962. On another adventure with

his family he woke up to 3” of ash from the Mt St Helens eruption and ingeniously protected the air filter

so they could escape by car.

Art loved to work on projects and was a true jack of all trades. He was a constant tinkerer and a source

of great advice before YouTube videos and Google became a replacement for experience. There was

virtually nothing he couldn’t build or fix. He even built the beautiful home that he lived in for his

impressive 31 years of retirement. He was strong, healthy, self reliant and driving his Tesla right up until

the last week of his life. The only thing that ever competed with his desire to overcome a technical

challenge was his beloved Seattle Seahawks.

Art was fortunate to find true love again in 2009 when at the age of 81 he married Ruth who was a

fantastic companion and soul mate for the last 12 years of his life.

Art’s grandparents were all born in Norway and he kept very close ties with many of his distant cousins

still living there. He enjoyed preparing authentic Norwegian meals and always looked forward to visits

from his far away relatives.

Art lived an extraordinary life, an uncommon life and on October 13, 2021 left his body behind without

regret.

Arthur Robert Skaran Sr. was preceded in death by his wife of 48 years Arlene, his grand daughter Amy

Luft, his brother Ray, his sister Kathryn Losey and his parents Olaf and Tillie.

He is survived by his wife of 12 years Ruth, his daughters Andrea Skaran and Annette (Allen) Luft, his

sons Andrew (Amber) Skaran and Arthur (Kelly) Skaran Jr., his grandchildren Heather (Joe) Doyle, Austin

Luft, Hannah, Susanna, Rebekah, Simon, Joey, Denny, his brother Norbert (Shirley) and many nieces and nephews. He is also survived by Ruth’s children and spouses, Mike (Sandy) Pelan, Jeff (Gayle) Pelan and Denise (Brent) Kellogg and their children.