Obituary of Jack Tavenner
Jack Leroy Tavenner, 73, of Herron Island, Washington, passed away on December 29, 2015 in the comfort of his Herron Island home which he built with his two hands.
A family-only graveside service will be held at New Tacoma Cemetery on January 7, 2016 with Pastor Mark Woldseth of Gloria Dei Lutheran Church officiating.
Jack Tavenner was born in Denver, Colorado to Lloyd and Malinda Tavenner on June 25, 1942. He grew up in Washington State, graduating from Lincoln High School in Tacoma in 1960 and went on to earn an bachelor of arts from the University of Washington and a commission from the U.S. Air Force. He learned to fly, met and married the love of his life, Margery, and was then assigned to combat action in the skies of Vietnam, from which he returned in 1968 after earning the Distinguished Flying Cross, 14 Air Medals, and received a Purple Heart from his experience being shot down over the North and rescued in the Gulf of Tonkin. After a few years of training pilots and pilot instructors, bearing two sons, Carson and Matthew, Jack left the service and took his family to his home state of Washington, where his third son, Benjamin, was born. Jack became a life insurance salesman for Lutheran Brotherhood, working for 10 years before transitioning to the art career for which he became well known throughout the Puget Sound and Pacific Northwest. He specialized in architectural renderings, portrayals of Northwest wildlife, and inspiring landscape scenes of his beloved Puget Sound, often with Mount Rainier presiding in the background. In 2012 he became a signature member of the prestigious Northwest Watercolor Society. In his retirement years, he and Margery began to winter in Ajo, Arizona, where the desert landscapes inspired in him a whole new era of artistic expression.
Jack excelled not only in the field of watercolors, but also in pottery and wood craftsmanship; he won “Best New Design” in the 1980 National Wooden Boat show in Seattle for the Sharpie he built. His deep Christian faith and heart of service combined with these artistic skills to leave behind legacies of “ecclesiastical carpentry” across Pierce County in the form of beautifully carved altars, a pulpit, baptismal font, railing, and a cross, all of which are still in service today at Gloria Dei Lutheran Church in Tacoma, Pilgrim Lutheran and Peace Lutheran churches in Puyallup, and the chapel of Good Samaritan Hospital in Puyallup. His pottery in particular was an expression of his love for fine, honest craftsmanship; every beautiful piece began with his pulling clay directly from some place out of the earth (typically in Washington or Arizona), and finished with polishing using a special stone.
A loving husband, father, and grandfather, Jack leaves behind a wonderful legacy for many in his family as well as dozens of friends in his communities. A quiet and private man, he sought neither fame nor fortune from his artistic excellence; with the heart of a true artist, he sought merely to live comfortably and to create for the sake of creating beauty itself. Grasping life to the fullest, he built two houses for the enjoyment of his family. Jack & Margery’s “snowbird” adventures between these Herron Island and Ajo, Arizona homes produced a bounty of friendships which now also feel the pain of his absence.
Jack is survived by his wife, Margery; his sons Carson (and daughter-in-law Wendy) of Arlington, Washington, and Benjamin (and daughter-in-law Zhenya) of Ognevo-Zaimka, Russia; grandson Jacob and granddaughters Bethany, Emily, and Alexandra; brother Lester of Port Townsend; sister Linda Sutor of Walla Walla; niece Malinda Sutor and nephew Adrian Sutor. He is preceded in death by their beloved son, Matthew, and his father and mother, Lloyd and Malinda.
Memorial donations may be made in Jack’s name to the Tacoma Rescue Mission, P.O. Box 1912, Tacoma, WA 98401-1912 or https://www.trm.org/how-can-you-help/give-online/
In life and in death, Jack’s singular lesson which he would wish to share is Proverbs 3:5-6: “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding. In all your ways, acknowledge Him and he will direct your path.”
http://newtacoma.com/tribute/details/1537/Jack-Tavenner/obituary.html#tribute-start
Jack Leroy Tavenner, 73, of Herron Island, Washington, passed away on December 29, 2015 in the comfort of his Herron Island home which he built with his two hands.
A family-only graveside service will be held at New Tacoma Cemetery on January 7, 2016 with Pastor Mark Woldseth of Gloria Dei Lutheran Church officiating.
Jack Tavenner was born in Denver, Colorado to Lloyd and Malinda Tavenner on June 25, 1942. He grew up in Washington State, graduating from Lincoln High School in Tacoma in 1960 and went on to earn an bachelor of arts from the University of Washington and a commission from the U.S. Air Force. He learned to fly, met and married the love of his life, Margery, and was then assigned to combat action in the skies of Vietnam, from which he returned in 1968 after earning the Distinguished Flying Cross, 14 Air Medals, and received a Purple Heart from his experience being shot down over the North and rescued in the Gulf of Tonkin. After a few years of training pilots and pilot instructors, bearing two sons, Carson and Matthew, Jack left the service and took his family to his home state of Washington, where his third son, Benjamin, was born. Jack became a life insurance salesman for Lutheran Brotherhood, working for 10 years before transitioning to the art career for which he became well known throughout the Puget Sound and Pacific Northwest. He specialized in architectural renderings, portrayals of Northwest wildlife, and inspiring landscape scenes of his beloved Puget Sound, often with Mount Rainier presiding in the background. In 2012 he became a signature member of the prestigious Northwest Watercolor Society. In his retirement years, he and Margery began to winter in Ajo, Arizona, where the desert landscapes inspired in him a whole new era of artistic expression.
Jack excelled not only in the field of watercolors, but also in pottery and wood craftsmanship; he won “Best New Design” in the 1980 National Wooden Boat show in Seattle for the Sharpie he built. His deep Christian faith and heart of service combined with these artistic skills to leave behind legacies of “ecclesiastical carpentry” across Pierce County in the form of beautifully carved altars, a pulpit, baptismal font, railing, and a cross, all of which are still in service today at Gloria Dei Lutheran Church in Tacoma, Pilgrim Lutheran and Peace Lutheran churches in Puyallup, and the chapel of Good Samaritan Hospital in Puyallup. His pottery in particular was an expression of his love for fine, honest craftsmanship; every beautiful piece began with his pulling clay directly from some place out of the earth (typically in Washington or Arizona), and finished with polishing using a special stone.
A loving husband, father, and grandfather, Jack leaves behind a wonderful legacy for many in his family as well as dozens of friends in his communities. A quiet and private man, he sought neither fame nor fortune from his artistic excellence; with the heart of a true artist, he sought merely to live comfortably and to create for the sake of creating beauty itself. Grasping life to the fullest, he built two houses for the enjoyment of his family. Jack & Margery’s “snowbird” adventures between these Herron Island and Ajo, Arizona homes produced a bounty of friendships which now also feel the pain of his absence.
Jack is survived by his wife, Margery; his sons Carson (and daughter-in-law Wendy) of Arlington, Washington, and Benjamin (and daughter-in-law Zhenya) of Ognevo-Zaimka, Russia; grandson Jacob and granddaughters Bethany, Emily, and Alexandra; brother Lester of Port Townsend; sister Linda Sutor of Walla Walla; niece Malinda Sutor and nephew Adrian Sutor. He is preceded in death by their beloved son, Matthew, and his father and mother, Lloyd and Malinda.
Memorial donations may be made in Jack’s name to the Tacoma Rescue Mission, P.O. Box 1912, Tacoma, WA 98401-1912 or https://www.trm.org/how-can-you-help/give-online/
In life and in death, Jack’s singular lesson which he would wish to share is Proverbs 3:5-6: “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding. In all your ways, acknowledge Him and he will direct your path.”
http://newtacoma.com/tribute/details/1537/Jack-Tavenner/obituary.html#tribute-start
Obituary of Jack Tavenner
Jack Leroy Tavenner, 73, of Herron Island, Washington, passed away on December 29, 2015 in the comfort of his Herron Island home which he built with his two hands.
A family-only graveside service will be held at New Tacoma Cemetery on January 7, 2016 with Pastor Mark Woldseth of Gloria Dei Lutheran Church officiating.
Jack Tavenner was born in Denver, Colorado to Lloyd and Malinda Tavenner on June 25, 1942. He grew up in Washington State, graduating from Lincoln High School in Tacoma in 1960 and went on to earn an bachelor of arts from the University of Washington and a commission from the U.S. Air Force. He learned to fly, met and married the love of his life, Margery, and was then assigned to combat action in the skies of Vietnam, from which he returned in 1968 after earning the Distinguished Flying Cross, 14 Air Medals, and received a Purple Heart from his experience being shot down over the North and rescued in the Gulf of Tonkin. After a few years of training pilots and pilot instructors, bearing two sons, Carson and Matthew, Jack left the service and took his family to his home state of Washington, where his third son, Benjamin, was born. Jack became a life insurance salesman for Lutheran Brotherhood, working for 10 years before transitioning to the art career for which he became well known throughout the Puget Sound and Pacific Northwest. He specialized in architectural renderings, portrayals of Northwest wildlife, and inspiring landscape scenes of his beloved Puget Sound, often with Mount Rainier presiding in the background. In 2012 he became a signature member of the prestigious Northwest Watercolor Society. In his retirement years, he and Margery began to winter in Ajo, Arizona, where the desert landscapes inspired in him a whole new era of artistic expression.
Jack excelled not only in the field of watercolors, but also in pottery and wood craftsmanship; he won “Best New Design” in the 1980 National Wooden Boat show in Seattle for the Sharpie he built. His deep Christian faith and heart of service combined with these artistic skills to leave behind legacies of “ecclesiastical carpentry” across Pierce County in the form of beautifully carved altars, a pulpit, baptismal font, railing, and a cross, all of which are still in service today at Gloria Dei Lutheran Church in Tacoma, Pilgrim Lutheran and Peace Lutheran churches in Puyallup, and the chapel of Good Samaritan Hospital in Puyallup. His pottery in particular was an expression of his love for fine, honest craftsmanship; every beautiful piece began with his pulling clay directly from some place out of the earth (typically in Washington or Arizona), and finished with polishing using a special stone.
A loving husband, father, and grandfather, Jack leaves behind a wonderful legacy for many in his family as well as dozens of friends in his communities. A quiet and private man, he sought neither fame nor fortune from his artistic excellence; with the heart of a true artist, he sought merely to live comfortably and to create for the sake of creating beauty itself. Grasping life to the fullest, he built two houses for the enjoyment of his family. Jack & Margery’s “snowbird” adventures between these Herron Island and Ajo, Arizona homes produced a bounty of friendships which now also feel the pain of his absence.
Jack is survived by his wife, Margery; his sons Carson (and daughter-in-law Wendy) of Arlington, Washington, and Benjamin (and daughter-in-law Zhenya) of Ognevo-Zaimka, Russia; grandson Jacob and granddaughters Bethany, Emily, and Alexandra; brother Lester of Port Townsend; sister Linda Sutor of Walla Walla; niece Malinda Sutor and nephew Adrian Sutor. He is preceded in death by their beloved son, Matthew, and his father and mother, Lloyd and Malinda.
Memorial donations may be made in Jack’s name to the Tacoma Rescue Mission, P.O. Box 1912, Tacoma, WA 98401-1912 or https://www.trm.org/how-can-you-help/give-online/
In life and in death, Jack’s singular lesson which he would wish to share is Proverbs 3:5-6: “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding. In all your ways, acknowledge Him and he will direct your path.”
http://newtacoma.com/tribute/details/1537/Jack-Tavenner/obituary.html#tribute-start
Jack Leroy Tavenner, 73, of Herron Island, Washington, passed away on December 29, 2015 in the comfort of his Herron Island home which he built with his two hands.
A family-only graveside service will be held at New Tacoma Cemetery on January 7, 2016 with Pastor Mark Woldseth of Gloria Dei Lutheran Church officiating.
Jack Tavenner was born in Denver, Colorado to Lloyd and Malinda Tavenner on June 25, 1942. He grew up in Washington State, graduating from Lincoln High School in Tacoma in 1960 and went on to earn an bachelor of arts from the University of Washington and a commission from the U.S. Air Force. He learned to fly, met and married the love of his life, Margery, and was then assigned to combat action in the skies of Vietnam, from which he returned in 1968 after earning the Distinguished Flying Cross, 14 Air Medals, and received a Purple Heart from his experience being shot down over the North and rescued in the Gulf of Tonkin. After a few years of training pilots and pilot instructors, bearing two sons, Carson and Matthew, Jack left the service and took his family to his home state of Washington, where his third son, Benjamin, was born. Jack became a life insurance salesman for Lutheran Brotherhood, working for 10 years before transitioning to the art career for which he became well known throughout the Puget Sound and Pacific Northwest. He specialized in architectural renderings, portrayals of Northwest wildlife, and inspiring landscape scenes of his beloved Puget Sound, often with Mount Rainier presiding in the background. In 2012 he became a signature member of the prestigious Northwest Watercolor Society. In his retirement years, he and Margery began to winter in Ajo, Arizona, where the desert landscapes inspired in him a whole new era of artistic expression.
Jack excelled not only in the field of watercolors, but also in pottery and wood craftsmanship; he won “Best New Design” in the 1980 National Wooden Boat show in Seattle for the Sharpie he built. His deep Christian faith and heart of service combined with these artistic skills to leave behind legacies of “ecclesiastical carpentry” across Pierce County in the form of beautifully carved altars, a pulpit, baptismal font, railing, and a cross, all of which are still in service today at Gloria Dei Lutheran Church in Tacoma, Pilgrim Lutheran and Peace Lutheran churches in Puyallup, and the chapel of Good Samaritan Hospital in Puyallup. His pottery in particular was an expression of his love for fine, honest craftsmanship; every beautiful piece began with his pulling clay directly from some place out of the earth (typically in Washington or Arizona), and finished with polishing using a special stone.
A loving husband, father, and grandfather, Jack leaves behind a wonderful legacy for many in his family as well as dozens of friends in his communities. A quiet and private man, he sought neither fame nor fortune from his artistic excellence; with the heart of a true artist, he sought merely to live comfortably and to create for the sake of creating beauty itself. Grasping life to the fullest, he built two houses for the enjoyment of his family. Jack & Margery’s “snowbird” adventures between these Herron Island and Ajo, Arizona homes produced a bounty of friendships which now also feel the pain of his absence.
Jack is survived by his wife, Margery; his sons Carson (and daughter-in-law Wendy) of Arlington, Washington, and Benjamin (and daughter-in-law Zhenya) of Ognevo-Zaimka, Russia; grandson Jacob and granddaughters Bethany, Emily, and Alexandra; brother Lester of Port Townsend; sister Linda Sutor of Walla Walla; niece Malinda Sutor and nephew Adrian Sutor. He is preceded in death by their beloved son, Matthew, and his father and mother, Lloyd and Malinda.
Memorial donations may be made in Jack’s name to the Tacoma Rescue Mission, P.O. Box 1912, Tacoma, WA 98401-1912 or https://www.trm.org/how-can-you-help/give-online/
In life and in death, Jack’s singular lesson which he would wish to share is Proverbs 3:5-6: “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding. In all your ways, acknowledge Him and he will direct your path.”
http://newtacoma.com/tribute/details/1537/Jack-Tavenner/obituary.html#tribute-start
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