John Jacob Sherrick

88 years – John was born in Brazil, Iowa. The oldest of 6 children born to Harry Sherrick and Clara Wassaberger Sherrick. The family moved to Renton when John was 12 years old and he started 8th grade that fall. At thirteen he got a job caddying at MapleWood golf course, learned the game of golf and never stopped playing. Golf was his passion. He was a member of Meridian Valley Country Club for 33 years and served as President.

John was a graduate of Renton High School class of 1941. He always lived in the Renton area and had long lasting friendships with many of his alumni and many of the “founding families” of Renton. He loved to go to the Red House Restaurant and show you the room that he used to rent when it was a boarding house and tell stories for hours about the old days in Renton.

The war came and they wouldn’t take John because he had just recently recovered from plural pneumonia. He went to work in the shipyards where he met the love of his life, Bea. She was one of the original Rosie the Riveters. They courted and married and had two children Russ and then 6 ½ years later Becky. Russ had a daughter Symantha and Becky had a son Wes, and daughter, Rae Ann. Symantha had a daughter Shelby. Not a large family but a family loved large.

John had many jobs as a young man supporting his family and one of those was selling TV’s and appliances at Reid and Cook. The Sherrick house was one of the few to have a television in the early days and often hosted family and friends to watch their favorite programs.

Boeing was hiring and John saw the opportunity for a man like him. His first job was as an expeditor. He often said that was where he saw where the “good” jobs were and met the “right” people. He advanced through the company and retired after 28 years as Facilities Manager for the Kent Aerospace plant.

Soon after retirement John and his wife Bea traveled to Scotland where he was able to play at St. Andrews, a dream of his for many years. Next came the “cabin” at Sunland. He gathered the family around and said “I won’t use it much but I thought you kids would like it for boating”. Well……. it was his pride and joy and something as a young man he never thought possible. He loved entertaining there and had many friends who also had homes in the community and Oh yeah; it was pretty nice to golf around there too.

John and Bea moved to Water Gardens in Maple Valley where he had a beautiful view of Mt. Rainier. It is there that he passed peacefully sleeping in his favorite chair.

John is survived by his wife Bea and all the family above as well as his sisters Grace, Annette and Aneta.

You will be missed by many John.

Donations may be made to the Alzheimer’s Association