John J. Isaksen

John went home to the Lord on April 15, 2013. He passed after living a great life of 87 years. John was born on October 25, 1925 in Port Townsend, Washington. His adoptive parents were Peter Andruus Isaacson and Mary Agnes Genevieve Kelly “Hazel” Isaacson. He was preceded in death by his parents, his daughter Patty Hively and his half-brother Russell Metler. John lived his young life with his parents and sister, Mary ‘Theresa’ Bournique, up and down the West Coast, with Seattle as their home base. He attended Sacred Heart School and graduated from Seattle Preparatory School for Boys in 1944.

John joined the Army Reserves while in High School during World War II and then entered the Army following graduation. He was assigned to the 600th Bomber Squadron of the 398th Heavy Bomb Group as a Ball Turret Gunner. John was deployed to England flying with his fellow crew members in a brand new B17G. He was lucky not to have to fly any bombing runs as V-E Day, May 8, 1945 came and he was redeployed for training in B29s for the Pacific theatre. V-J Day came before deploying overseas. The Germans didn’t want any part of him and then when the Japanese heard he was coming, they quit too. John was honorably discharged in June of 1946.

John returned home to Seattle and attended Seattle University, graduating with a Bachelor of Commercial Science Degree in 1950. He was a member of the Fourlaufer’s Ski Club while at Seattle U. Highlights of this club were the many ski trips by train and car to various ski hills in Washington State including the Milwaukee Bowl on Snoqualmie Pass (now called Summit East or Hyak). He also reportedly spent a lot of time at “The Library,” a well known Montlake area establishment.

John met the love of his life Patricia in Seattle and they were married April 24, 1954. They enjoyed a nearly 59-year marriage together, originally intending to have 10 children. They ended up with seven: John Jr. “Giovanni”, Peter (Tania), Katy Brown (Linden), Patty, Phil, Tom (Valerie) and Andy (Arlene). John was also blessed and is survived by his nine grandchildren that he dearly loved, as well as his sister Theresa (Gene) and numerous nieces, nephews and their kids. John was and is an example to all of what a good man is.

John worked numerous full time jobs including several during the war years while still in high school. During these summers he worked at Best Pies and then at the Houghton Shipyards. After the war and college he worked for a time as a travelling salesman for Westinghouse Electric Supply covering the East side of Washington State. In 1956, he hired on as an Industrial Engineer at the Boeing Company. He enjoyed a 35 ½ year career with Boeing which included working in the Seattle area, four years in Pennsylvania, and a brief 6 months in Seville, Spain. He was very proud of his 35-year wristwatch, which was once stolen from his wrist at the train station in Rome, but was thankfully replaced.

John’s many interests included golf, skiing, fishing and travelling, including several trips to Europe and many cruises throughout the world with his wife. John was an excellent dancer and was a popular partner of his wife, as well as of all the ladies at every family wedding and in the ballroom of the cruise ships. He was very proud of his two trips with his family to the birthplace of golf in Scotland and had a chance to walk the Old Course at St. Andrews. He also enjoyed several rounds in and around the Monterey Peninsula including a round at Spanish Bay with his sons. His skiing exploits were numerous including the trips on the trains in college, as well as many trips to Whistler. He even made a memorable ski trip while living in Pennsylvania that featured mostly driving to and from the ski hill and a short, icy, few trips down the mountain. John skied at Alpental when it opened in 1967 and enjoyed visiting and staying at the “Vierhaus” chalet once owned by the family in the valley. John was a legend in the family for his smooth skiing style and for what his young nephew called the “longest fall I have ever seen” down the face of International. John loved fishing and enjoyed many trips on his own boat while living at their house on the Westside of San Juan Island. He also relished his halibut fishing trips with his daughter and her husband to Alaska including a memorable and bountiful trip within the last two years. John was also a voracious reader and mastered the skill of having a newspaper and two magazines, and later a Kindle and an iPad open in front of him all at the same time. Such reading habits, broad travels and a life-long urge to learn made John a quiet expert on many topics.

Having found out late in his life that he was adopted at birth, John decided recently to explore his biologic roots and found out he was one eighth Snohomish Tribe Native American. John lived most of his life in and around Seattle, living in the Bellevue area since 1966. He was a member of Saint Louise parish since 1966 and volunteered as a Eucharistic Minister and Lector at mass. He was an ardent supporter of the Saint Vincent De Paul Society.

The Rosary was a special prayer for John and Pat and they shared this prayer every chance they could. A Rosary Service will be held at Sunset Hills Funeral Home, 1215 145th PL SE, Bellevue WA, on Wednesday night at 7 PM to honor John’s life and pray for his immortal soul. His Funeral Mass will be held at Saint Louise Catholic Church (141- 156th AVE SE in Bellevue) Thursday, April 25, 2013 at 11 AM. A reception will follow in the church hall. John’s urn will be placed at Sunset Hills Memorial Park at a later date.

Due to John’s support of the Saint Vincent De Paul Society, the family suggests that any tributes or remembrances be sent to the Saint Louise Chapter of the Saint Vincent De Paul Society at 141- 156th AVE SE, Bellevue WA, 98007. Please visit www.sunsethillsfuneralhome.com to view and/or record any pictures or stories of John on his memorial web site.