Dr. Jack William Brandmeir, beloved husband, father, and grandfather, passed away Thursday, August 5, 2010, at Skagit Valley Hospital after a long battle with cancer. He was born in Seattle, the fifth of ten children, to Henry and Mae Brandmeir on September 19, 1921. Jack attended St. Joseph Grade School for Boys and Seattle Preparatory High School. Using skills he learned from the Boy Scouts, Jack became an avid mountaineer and conquered Mt. Rainier. He served in WWII as a Naval officer aboard the USS Charles Ausburne in the Pacific Fleet. In addition to performing his officer duties, Jack fought for and won the title of Pacific Fleet Cribbage Champion and remained a master player throughout his life. Jack returned home from the war and married the love of his life, Betty Geraldine Lyman on April 25, 1945. The couple raised a family in Seattle. Jack was a proud lifetime member of the Trail Blazers, an organization devoted to creating better alpine fishing in WA since 1933. Jack blazed uncharted territory in WA, discovering and registering previously unknown lakes, including Brandmeir's Bog. He remained an avid fly-fisherman. Jack went on to earn a BS in Engineering, an MBA, and a Ph.D in Business from the University of Washington. As an engineer for Boeing, Jack worked on the 707 jet airliner and Minuteman Missile Systems. After earning his Ph.D, Jack administered the AF Institute of Technology Graduate Program in WY and then became a professor for the University of San Francisco in CA. During the 1980s, Jack taught throughout Europe for the University of Maryland. Jack finally retired to Mt. Vernon, WA where he remained active in local politics and was story-teller extraordinaire of his many adventures. Jack is survived by his wife of 65 years, Betty; his siblings, James (Jim) Brandmeir, Robert (Bob) Brandmeir, Rita Daubenspeck, Sister Patricia Brandmeir SNJM, and Kathleen Hartmann; his children; Karl Brandmeir of Bad Honnef, Germany, Christopher (Chris) Brandmeir of Seattle, WA, and Stephanie Brandmeir of North Augusta, SC; 11 grandchildren and 10 great-grandchildren; as well as numerous nieces and nephews and their children. The memorial service is Thursday, August 12, 2010 at 10:30 a.m. at Mount Vernon Cemetery, reception immediately following at St. Joseph Hall of the Immaculate Conception Regional School on 15th St.In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Trail Blazers (a 501(c) 3 organization) c/o Ken Masel, Treasurer, at 125 118th Dr. NE, Lake Stevens, WA 98258. Remembrances may be shared at: www.kernfuneralhome.com.

Published in The Seattle Times on Aug. 11, 2010