John Sydney Detlor

John Sydney Detlor was born in Summerside, Prince Edward Island, Canada on September 1, 1940. He was the son of Rev. W. Lyall and Margaret (Baxter) Detlor. John spent his early childhood in Toronto and Parry Sound, Ontario and Trail, British Columbia. In 1952 he moved, along with his family, to Seattle, Washington. He attended Seattle Christian School, Whitworth College in Spokane, Washington and Willamette School of Law in Salem, Oregon.

While at Whitworth he met and married Cecile Foy. They welcomed their first child, Robert (Bobby), the same day John took the Oregon State Bar Exam.

After law school, John joined the FBI and was assigned to Albuquerque, and later Deming, New Mexico. While in New Mexico, their second child, Sandra, was born.

In 1965 John was transferred to Los Angeles, California where they made West Covina their home. On January 3, 1968 Cecile, Bobby and Sandra were killed in a car accident while John was at work. Following the accident, J. Edgar Hoover reassigned John to the Seattle office of the FBI, allowing him to be close to family.

John met Jeanette Duncan at church the following summer and the two were married April 26, 1969. They spent the first year of marriage living in Bremerton, Washington before moving to Redmond, Washington. They raised their children, William (Bill) and Susan, in Kirkland, Washington.

In 1989, after 25 years of service, John retired from the FBI. A month later, he went to work for Costco Wholesale as their first director of security. John continued at Costco for nearly 18 years, retiring in 2007 as Assistant Vice President of Warehouse Operations.

Retirement brought opportunities to travel, volunteer and dote on his grandchildren. Never one to sit still, he also took on additional responsibilities, including a stint as Pacific Regional Vice President of the Society of Former Special Agents of the FBI.

John devoted himself to service to his family, his faith, his country and his community. He faithfully supported numerous charities both here at home and around the globe.

Surrounded by family, John peacefully went to be with his Lord and Savior on February 4, 2026.

John is survived by his wife, Jeanette, son Bill (wife Gina), daughter Susan and grandchildren Ellia, Adilynn (Addie) and Micah. He is also survived by sisters Dorothy Detlor (husband Bob Blair), Evelyn (husband Jim) Probert, Beth (husband Harold) Delamarter and many nieces, nephews and cousins.

He is loved beyond measure and will be missed forever.

A memorial service will be held in April at University Presbyterian Church in Seattle. Remembrances may be made to Seattle Children’s Hospital or University Presbyterian Church.