James Clarence Braaten

James Clarence Braaten was born in Bremerton, June of 1944. He spent his childhood in Port Orchard, Olalla, and Bremerton where he attended school in all three towns. He also spent one year of his high school at Three Hills in Alberta, Canada. He graduated from South Kitsap High School in 1963.

He served time in the National Guard not long after high school. He then hired on at the Puget Sound Naval Shipyard where he completed the apprenticeship program as a Machinist and then moving into a Planner and Estimator with a total of 32 years. After his retirement in 1997, he started his own excavation business Braaten Grading which he worked until his stroke in 2015.

Jim was incredibly involved in his community and served on the Parks and Recreation Board during the purchase and early development of the South Kitsap Regional Park on Jackson Avenue in Port Orchard. He was also a committed member of the Knights of Pythias which is a fraternal organization dedicated to community contributions including the upkeep of the KOP cemetery adjacent to the Sunset Lane cemetery.

He enjoyed playing music with the Clam Island Band at various parades and other functions. He traveled to Norway twice in the nineties and was able to locate family as well as visiting his grandfather’s homestead.

He coached sports teams for all three of is children and loved attending their games.

Jim was preceded in death by his father (Clarence Braaten), mother (Fran McDonald), stepfather (Bob McDonald), and daughter in law (Heather Braaten). He is survived by his wife Billie, daughter (Robin) and son in law (Scott Swanson) and their children/grandchildren (Russell and Andrew), daughter (Holly) and her daughter (Aubree) and husband (Seth), and son (Jason) and his significant other (Lori) and grandchildren (Jimmy and Lauren).