Obituaries

It is with deepest sadness that the family of John Jewell announces his unexpected passing. John was surrounded by the love of his family, including his wife Laurie, daughter Jacqueline, sister Carol, brother-in-law Jerry, and niece Kelly, near the time of his passing. Kelly’s husband York and their twin daughters were also nearby to offer their support.

John is survived by his wife, daughter, sister, aunt, cousins, brother’s and sister’s in-law, nieces and nephews, and great nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by his father Hedley Jewell and mother Joyce Jewell.

John was born in Canada, but immigrated to the US and moved to Seattle with his parents and sister at an early age. He spent many enjoyable summers with his cousins in Canada growing up. John has always had a passion for flying and a love for his pets.

John’s father encouraged his interest in flying and brought him to an introductory flight when he was a teenager. To pay for flight time and lessons, John earned money by servicing planes. He also received his A&P mechanics license. Later, he was hired as a bush pilot in Alaska and had many exciting and interesting stories of his experiences. He remained in Alaska for a few years, but returned to Washington State to complete a Bachelor of Science Degree in Aerospace Science at Central Washington University. This led to his ultimate goal of becoming a commercial airline pilot. John lived his dream and continued flying until his retirement.

John grew up with hunting dogs and was inseparable from them. Some of his fondest memories were of hunting for pheasant with his father in Eastern Washington. John also adored his family dogs with his wife and daughter. He also leaves behind a miniature schnauzer with whom he was very close and spent lots of time walking with.

Above all, John loved and treasured his family. He was able to fulfill the dream of building a house by the beach, with his wife Laurie. He enjoyed spending time there with his family, walking the beach, swimming, and boating. He especially enjoyed spending time with his family on vacations and traveling with them. He believed in living life to the fullest, which included among many things skiing, fishing, snorkeling, hiking, and of course flying planes. He was happy that his daughter had taken an interest in flying.

John was a man of integrity and stood up for what he believed was truthful and fair. We loved his sense of humor and loving nature. John will be dearly missed by his wife, Laurie, daughter, Jacqueline, family, and friends. Due to the increasing cases of COVID and to allow relatives from further away to attend, John’s memorial will be held at a later date.