Frank "John" Anderson's Obituary
Frank John Anderson, 91, of Tacoma, passed away peacefully at home on January 18, 2026. John was born in Bremerton on May 25, 1934, to Edward Herman Anderson and Sarah Anita Hopkins. He graduated from North Kitsap High School in 1954. Shortly after graduating, he was drafted into the U.S. Army and served honorably for two years.
John graduated from Olympic College in 1965, and from Western Washington University in 1967, with a Bachelor of Arts in Education. He taught high school art and drafting at Sequim High School.
In the early 1970s, John took his teaching skills to South Vietnam, where he worked for Lear Siegler teaching drafting and design to the Vietnamese people. In the later 1970s, John worked on the Alaska Pipeline. After returning home from Alaska, he built a 21-ton halibut schooner on Sequim Bay, “Trang,” and became a commercial fisherman. By the early 1980s, John moved to Shelton, and started working in real estate. He married his wife, Carolyn, in 1988. The two moved to Tacoma in the late 1980s, where they remained for their retirement years.
John was preceded in death by his wife, Carolyn. He is survived by his son, Bryan, and stepchildren Steven Basmajian (Dora) and Christine Thiessen (Scott).
A private memorial service for the family will be held.
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