John Bogardus

John was born in 1930 in Connersville, Indiana. He went on to enlist in the United States Air Force during the Korean War and graduated from Michigan State University. He was a civil engineer and worked on many projects across the United States. Local projects included the North Cascade Highway, West Seattle Bridge, Trident Submarine Base and Schuster Parkway in Tacoma. Neighborhood kids remember John as being a little larger than life, with a great, infectious laugh. He commanded a great deal of respect, pulled no punches, looked you in the eye and told it like it was. For a youngster that was refreshing, frightening and assuring all at the same time. When his children were growing up John volunteered many hours with junior sports and could always be heard loudly cheering for the team. John was an avid sailor who spent as much time working on his boat as he did cruising Puget Sound, the San Juan Islands, Desolation Sound and beyond. No project was too big or too small for his handyman skills where he often designed and built things where others would simply buy them. He rebuilt a Fiat X19 and was often seen ?cruising? with the top down, showing off his little yellow beauty. No matter what he was doing or where he was traveling you could always hear John?s beloved jazz music playing in the background. John and Lee were married for 55 years where the journey was always more important than the destination. They lived in New York, Michigan, Indiana, New Mexico, Bellevue (WA), Florida, Missouri, Mississippi and Louisiana before retiring in Port Orchard. John is survived by his, wife Lenora (Lee), his children Anne Miller (Ken), Phil Bogardus (Mary), Jeanne Notson (Ed), Lynne Nickels (Mike), Brian Bogardus (Dana), 9 grandchildren and 4/9 of a great-grandchild. Memorial Service 2:00 pm on October 17, 2007 at Rill's Life Tribute Center in Port Orchard. Memorial donations can be made to the charity of your choice.