Kurt Vaughn Schoessler

Kurt was born on June 9, 1947, in Baltimore, Maryland, to Jacob Schoessler and Margaret Dixon. The family settled in Washington, where he grew up in Coupeville and later Oak Harbor. A quiet, observant boy with a quick mind, he loved being outdoors and playing sports. He remembered those years with great fondness: the steady care of his big sister Robbyne, riding bikes with friends, exploring the old fortifications at Fort Casey, and growing up among kind-hearted neighbors, like the woman who didn't have Halloween candy, so she had the boys wait in her kitchen while she baked them cookies. An avid reader from an early age, he had an independent streak and a natural curiosity about how things worked that stayed with him throughout his life.

After graduating from Oak Harbor High School in 1965, Kurt earned a Bachelor of Science from the United States Merchant Marine Academy at Kings Point, New York, in 1969. He went on to sail the Pacific as a Chief Engineer on cargo ships, and after retiring from the sea, he briefly taught marine engineering at the Seattle Maritime Academy. Kurt took great pride in being capable and independent. He was a man who knew how things worked, and when he didn't, he figured them out.

It was during his seafaring years that Kurt met the love of his life, Jackie, at the Hong Kong department store where she worked. They married in 1971 and honeymooned on a boat trip to Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand, and Sri Lanka. After a short time in Chicago, they settled in West Seattle, where they started their family. In 1979, they bought the family home on Sunset Avenue, where they raised their three children, Michelle, Karl, and Marli, and which became the anchor of the Schoessler family for nearly fifty years. Kurt and Jackie took care of each other through thick and thin, and she will miss him every day.

Kurt was a devoted husband and father who shared simple pleasures with his kids: throwing a baseball or frisbee out front, playing a game of Scrabble or chess, taking long walks through West Seattle (down Admiral, along Alki, and up Bonair), making homemade pizzas, and reading the Sunday paper together. On road trips, he'd remind everyone to “enjoy the view” — the mountains, the trees, the rolling hills dotted with horses and cows. He could share a joke with just a look, his eyes warm and playful.

He rooted for the Seattle Mariners and Seahawks, spent years on the tennis court and golf course, and remained an avid reader of historical fiction and nonfiction. He loved a good Western or James Bond film, followed the stock market closely, enjoyed gardening, and had a lifelong affection for cats and dogs. He was known for his sharp wit and gift for storytelling. He saw the humor in everyday moments; even a trip to the vet or Costco became a story that made you smile. His favorite stories took you back to his job at the grocery store in Oak Harbor, or to ordering strawberry ice cream in Brazil.

Kurt is survived by his beloved wife, Kit-man “Jackie” Schoessler; his children, Michelle Ahn, Karl Schoessler, and Marli Schoessler Smith; his grandchildren, Gunnar Ahn, Caleb Ahn, Kylie Schoessler, and Keanu Schoessler; and his sister, Robbyne Tommasi. He was preceded in death by his father, Jacob Schoessler; his mother, Margaret Dixon; his stepfather, Gerald "Bud" Spafford; and his brother, Erich Schoessler.

He will be deeply missed and forever loved.

Knowledge and learning were always important to Kurt. He taught us more than he ever knew, from the simple joy of a baseball game to the profound lessons of life, death, and love. Even in his final days, when words were hard to manage, he was still teaching us what truly matters. Thank you, Dad.