Carl Fynboe's Obituary
Carl T. Fynboe, A champion for education in Washington State and a wonderful Christian man, died on November 8, 2012. His life was about relationships and how he connected with people, touching the lives of many. His grandchildren were often impressed by his interest in their friends and how they were doing. Family and faith were the center of his life and he was surrounded by his family and his pastor when he died. Carl was born in Decorah, Iowa on February 13, 1927. He was preceded in death by his father and mother, C. S. and Adelaide Fynboe, and his only sister Elizabeth Hanson. Carl is survived by his wife of 65 years, Ingrid; daughters, Karen (William Oltman), Kathy (Scott Buser), and son, Chris (Karie Hamilton); grand-children, Kirsten (Isaac), Andrea (Bryan), James (Mary), Nicholas, Katie, Jonathan, Alexis; and great grand-children, Justice, Selah, Jude, James David, and Hallie. Carl began his educational career, which he considered a calling, at Clover Park High School in 1950, as a chem-istry and German teacher. At 25 years of age he was appointed Vice Principal at Clover Park High School. Carl was elected and served as President of the Washington Education Association in 1958. In 1961 he was named Principal of Clover Park High School. His next calling in 1971 was to become Headmaster at Annie Wright School. In 1974, he was hired by the Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction to the newly created position of Director of Private/Independent Schools. After retiring from public education in 1982, he became President and CEO of the Washington Federation of Independent Schools until 1992. During his tenure with the Washington Federation of Independent Schools, Carl shepherded the Homeschool Law through the State Legislature and became the Administrative Advisor and a Founder of the Washington Homeschool Organization. On June 26, 2012 at 85 years of age, Carl received a Doctor of Divinity from the Covenant Bible Seminary and ordained as a Minister of Christ by the Covenant Bible Fellowship. Carl's other passions included serving on numerous boards, the first being the Board of Regents at Pacific Lutheran University and Board of Trustees at Charles Wright Academy. In the 1970's Carl was President of Lutheran Community Services, which led to the building of the Tacoma Lutheran Home and Nursing Center. Later, he was a Director on the Stewardship Foundation Board for seventeen years, which he considered the greatest joy for Christian outreach. A member of Rotary International since 1960, Carl has been a member of the Lakewood Rotary, Tacoma #8, Olympia, and Gig Harbor Rotary Clubs. One of Carl's loves was music and singing. He began his singing career at the age of five singing a solo on the Omaha Radio station. He sang in the Choir of the West at Pacific Lutheran College as a high school student and later as college student and soloist. Carl continued singing with the Normanna Men's Chorus and many church choirs until the time of his death. A memorial service will be held at Trinity Lutheran Church at 12115 Park Avenue S., Tacoma, WA 98444 on Saturday, November 24, 2012 at 2 PM with a reception following at the Pacific Lutheran University Scandinavian Cultural Center at 4 PM. In lieu of flowers, gifts may be made to the Carl T. Fynboe Memorial Scholarship Fund at Mount Rainier Lutheran High School in Tacoma.
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