John Macduff

John G. Jack MacDuff
Age 91, passed away peacefully in Gig Harbor on April 5, 2015 surrounded by family members.
Jack was born on June 6, 1923 in Kansas City, Missouri, son of Irl and Genevieve MacDuff. They moved to Tacoma, Washington by 1929 where he attended elementary school and Jason Lee Junior High School. After a return to Kansas City for a few years, they returned to the Northwest and lived on Fox Island. He attended Stadium High School in Tacoma having to commute by freight boat each morning and afternoon.
In 1943 he married Harriette Ketner and joined the US Army Air Corp, 101st Airborne. He was sent to England but broke his leg in a practice jump 6 days before D-Day. After recuperating state side he spent the rest of the war as a demolition instructor at Ft. Benning, Georgia. After the end of the war they returned to Fox Island.
Jack and a partner operated a saw mill on Fox Island for a few years, before moving the operation to Tacoma. Living in Tacoma, he later worked for many years as a carpenter at Tacoma Boat building wooden mine sweepers for the Navy. He spent time in various sales positions selling everything from home fire alarms to electric heating systems, and ran a kitchen remodeling business for a few years. He finally worked as quality control for Lindal Cedar Homes for several years before he retired.
John was active with the Boy Scouts of America at the local and district levels for many years, and led his sons troop on a week-long hike on the Wonderland Trail circling Mt. Rainier. He enjoyed camping and fly fishing, and later was active with the Madrona Links Golf Course Mens Club playing golf regularly and helping with their tournament activities. He and his wife Harriette also enjoyed traveling and trailer camping.
He is survived by his son John Jr. (Marie) of Issaquah, and two daughters, Gary Eileen (Dick) Parker of Morehead, KY and Sandra Tower of Gig Harbor, 11 grandchildren, and 12 great grandchildren. He was preceded in death by his infant daughter Molly Ann, his parents, and his wife Harriette.
The family will have a private interment at the Fox Island Cemetery. They would like to express their gratitude to the staff at Manor Care Gig Harbor for their loving care his last 5 years.