Jack Cousyn Jr.

Husband, father, grandpa, brother, and uncle, Jack Cousyn Jr of Bremerton Washington passed suddenly May 25, 2025, a week shy of his 59th wedding anniversary. Born in Los Angeles, CA in 1940, his family moved several times throughout the Pacific NW before attending North Kitsap High School and graduating in 1958. Jack fished summers in Alaska to help pay for college, and it was there he found his love of everything fishing and boating. Jack went on to graduate from Washington State University in 1963 with a degree in light construction management, before entering the Air Force. After attending Officer Training School and pilot training for the Air Force, Jack started his military flying career at Luke AFB in Phoenix, AZ. It was there on a blind date the fates aligned and he would meet the love of his life, Nanette. Two months later, Jack and Nanette were engaged and soon wed in June 1966. There was no time for a honeymoon, as they immediately left for Jack’s first overseas assignment in Spain. Throughout the course of his Air Force career, he flew 6 different fighter aircraft (F-100, A-7, A-10, F-111, F-15, and F-16) including 247 missions and logging over 500 combat hours in Vietnam flying the F-100, his favorite plane to fly. After moving 12 times during his 28-year military career, he retired in Colorado Springs in 1991and made his final move back to Washington State, settling in Bremerton. Not built for sedentary life, he worked for a high school friend at a local appliance store to pass his time before fully retiring in 2000.

In retirement, Jack spent his time doing the things he loved, flying, boating, and fishing. At 60 years young, he pursued one of his biggest dreams, learning the art of wooden boat building, and enrolled at the Northwest School of Wooden Boatbuilding in Port Townsend, WA. Upon completion of his 6-month course, Jack dove headfirst into one of the biggest challenges of his life; restoring the Radiant, a 40ft 1918 wooden Navy Schooner that had sustained significant fire damage in a marina fire on Lake Union in 2002. It took over 3 years, countless hours of hard work and a huge pile of saw dust and wood chips before he could finally enjoy showing it off at Cougar Yacht Club events, regattas, and pleasure cruises throughout the Puget Sound. It was the talk of the dock and his pride and joy. He kept close ties with the boat building school and was able to give back later in life, having a wooden boat commissioned and built by the students enrolled in their program.

Jack is preceded in death by his parents, Jack Sr and Leela Cousyn, and his sister Dorothy Pickering (Drury). Jack is survived by his wife of nearly 59 years, Nanette Simpson Cousyn; daughter Kelly Cousyn McCartney (Robert ‘Steve’) of Mills River NC; son Chris Cousyn (Shannon) of Steilacoom WA; grandchildren Sarah and Logan McCartney; Delaney Hills-Doble (Jordan) and Kerrigan Hills Ulloa (Isaiah); cousins, nieces, nephews, and great nieces and nephews; and a special circle of close friends. Jack is remembered for his humility, generosity, kindness, integrity, and leadership to all who knew him. He led by example and taught with class.

In lieu of flowers, please consider making a donation in Jack’s memory to programs he felt were noteworthy:

Northwest School of Wooden Boatbuilding

42 N. Water Street

Port Hadlock, WA 98339

www.nwswb.edu

donations: www.classy.org/give/389559

OR:

Port Townsend Aero Museum, Youth Mentorship Program

105 Airport Road

Port Townsend, WA 98368

360-379-5244

All are invited to a celebration of life reception being held at

Anthony’s at Sinclair Inlet

Friday, June 13th, 4:00-8:00

Drop in and share memories and stories.

As we all know, Jack was a great storyteller!