Memorial services are planned on Monday for Roger O. Loken, a U.S. Army veteran whose long and storied life also included careers in teaching and real estate. Here’s the remembrance his family is sharing:

It is with deep sadness that we announce our dad, Roger Osman Loken, passed away on March 15, 2015 at the age of 94. He was born on November 26, 1920, in Seattle to Gilbert and Maud Loken. He grew up in Ballard, where he met his wife of 69 years at a dancing school. He graduated from Ballard High School in 1939 and shortly thereafter enlisted in the Army at the age of 18, serving as a First Lieutenant in WWII in the Army Signal Corps in North Africa and Italy.

In 1948 Roger graduated from the University of WA with a BS in Zoology and earned his degree in teaching. He was awarded a full scholarship to Oregon State University, earning a Masters Degree in Biology in 1962; he learned to write and speak German in order to research his thesis on tardigrades.

His teaching career began in 1949 at Kettle Falls High School, where he taught science and was Principal until 1954. For over 60 years, his beloved Kettle Falls students kept in touch with him through annual reunions and correspondence. After leaving Kettle Falls, he returned to his native Seattle, where he taught science at Denny Middle School from 1954-1957. He finished his teaching career at West Seattle High School from 1957-1967 where he taught Biology, Chemistry and Physics.

Early in his career he was active in the Lions Club, School Associations, and was a long-time member of Holy Rosary Church. Always interested in new pursuits, Roger got his real-estate license after retiring from teaching and enjoyed selling commercial real estate well into his 80s.

His childhood was spent in Ballard, one of 6 kids, where he discovered his life-long passion for photography, developing his photographs in his own darkroom. At age 19, he became a licensed ham radio operator and went on the air as W7HPQ and rarely missed an opportunity to go on the air well into his 90s. He was instrumental in relaying radio messages during the Great Alaska Earthquake of 1964.

Roger could build his own radios, loved to work on anything electrical, often repairing TVs for friends and family alike. He was intrigued by the computer age, building his own circuit boards and experimenting with color photography in his basement before it became commercial. He remained interested to his final days in any new technology that was happening. He built a house for his family in Kettle Falls, WA, and loved to work in his wood shop and hang out in his basement working on his projects whether it was building something or looking through his microscopes at new worlds.

He led an active, fun-filled life, taking trips to Europe and Hawaii with his wife, going on camping trips to the ocean with his family, surf fishing in the ocean waves, playing tennis and croquet, swimming, and beating everyone at gin rummy and poker.

Roger was the last surviving of his six siblings. He is survived by Marie, his wife of 69 years; his 6 children: David Loken of Everett, WA, Joan Perryman of New Mexico, Catherine Hunter of Des Moines, WA, Robert Loken of Seattle, Roberta Jackowski of Seattle, and Karen Coffey of Oregon, 10 grandchildren, 5 great grandchildren and numerous nieces and nephews. He is preceded in death by his grandson Mac Branom.

Funeral Services will be held at 9:30 am on March 23rd at Mount St. Vincent Chapel in West Seattle. Graveside service will be at Holyrood Catholic Cemetery at 2 pm. Arrangements entrusted to Emmick Family Funeral Services of West Seattle. Please share your memories of Roger on the online guestbook at www.emmickfunerals.com.

(WSB publishes West Seattle obituaries by request, free of charge. Please e-mail the text, and a photo if available, to editor@westseattleblog.com)