John A. Delano

1941 – 2016

John passed away peacefully on March 20, 2016, from complications associated with Alzheimer’s.

He was the son of Ransom (Del) Delano and Catherine Mary Delano (nee Gomersal).

He lived his life with love, humor and a great deal of gusto. Raised and schooled in the neighborhood of Ballard, he found work at the age of 14 with the Seattle Cedar Mill, on the Ship Canal. Later, he worked in fiberglass boat construction and repair, working in the Ballard, Fremont and Lake Union areas.

In 2001, he retired from Boeing Company as a supervisor on the 747 Program. He had great respect for his “crews.”

John served as a volunteer coaching Little League baseball and football in the Shoreline area. As president of Richmond Little League he was instrumental in passing policy to provide uniforms for the girls’ teams.

John and his wife of 53 years, Doreen, (nee Gaerisch), spent 17 years on Whidbey Island in the Maxwelton and Greenbank areas.

John is survived by his wife Doreen and their children John Jr. (Kathy) and Joleen (Mark), his sister Betty Anderson of Everett and sister-in-law Diane Loney (Ron) of Albany, Ore. He leaves grandchildren Ellyse Spromberg and Bret and Janelle Hammer, all of Shoreline. Also surviving are his nieces and nephews, Kurt, Kent, Kevin Anderson, Kirsten Whipple (Derick), Megan Shultz (Mike), Heather Kachel and Heath Loney (Emily). His nephew, Michael Loney (Nicole) preceded him in death. He leaves twelve great-nieces and nephews.

We wish to thank John’s personal caregivers Marquisha May and Danielle Miner. Also, a special thank you to caregivers at Crista Skilled Nursing and Rehabilitation Center, Northwest Hospital Geropsychiatric Program, NW Hospital Hospice and Evergreen Hospice. In lieu of flowers, remembrances may be made to your favorite charity or to Alzheimer’s Disease Research, 22512 Gateway Center Drive, P.O. Box 1950, Clarksburg, MD 20871-1950.

A celebration of life will be held from 1-3 p.m. April 2, at the Richmond Masonic Temple (753 N 185th St., Seattle, WA 98133).