John Wallace Sousie's Obituary
John Wallace Sousie
1942 - 2009
John Sousie, a longtime Tacoma resident, passed away July 14, 2009 at the age of 66. The past two years, John fought hard the complications of Lewy Body Dementia. John was born October 23, 1942, in Elma, WA to Doris (Evans) and John B. Sousie. He was raised in Elma, graduating from Elma High School in 1961. John worked at Simpson Timber Co., and attended Grays Harbor College. He then moved to Tacoma to study carpentry at Bates Vocational Technical College, where he became a journeyman carpenter. John served in the Navy from 1965 to 1967. He and Janet (Williams) were married August 27, 1966, and she joined him at Pacific Beach, WA, where John served at the Pacific Beach Naval Facility. Upon discharge from the Navy, John and Janet moved to Tacoma, WA, where they raised their two daughters, Deborah and Christine. John worked 34 years in the construction industry, the last 17 of those with Rushforth Construction before his retirement in 2002. John was a member of the Tacoma Elks and Carpenters Union 470. John was an outdoors person who enjoyed hunting, fishing, boating, camping and golfing. Since his retirement, John enjoyed his family and grandchildren and working in his large yard with his faithful dogs at his side. John was preceded in death by his father, John B. Sousie. His mother Doris Sousie resides in Elma. John is also survived by his wife Janet, daughters Debbie (Daren) Rohde of Fircrest and Christine Sousie of Tacoma. The grandchildren who will miss Grandpa are Nick and Kate Rohde, and Marcellus, TJ, and Riley Watkins. John is also survived by sisters Betty (Cliff) Reichel of Olympia and Bonnie (Chuck) Ulmer of Sicklerville, NJ, nephew Shawn Brumley of Dufer, OR, and nieces Susan Ulmer and Jennifer Fuhrmeister, both of New Jersey. Many thanks to the wonderful, kind, tireless individuals who have cared for John the past few months especially the staff of Avamere Highlands. A memorial service to celebrate John's life will be held Monday, July 20, 2009 at 2:00pm in the Garden Chapel at Mountain View Funeral Home, Tacoma, WA. Memorial donations may be made to either the Alzheimer's or Parkinson's Association.
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