West Seattle, Washington
24 Sunday
Family and friends will gather on January 14th to remember and celebrate the life of John Frederick William Horner. Here’s the remembrance being shared with the community:
John Horner was born in London, England. As a child, John was part of Operation Pied Piper, the evacuation of children to the countryside during World War II. He spent several years living with families in rural England before returning to his parents in London.
John served for 8 years in the British Army “Royal Signals” in the post-war occupation of Germany and Italy. He was in an Airborne division and made many parachute jumps in training. John immigrated to America in 1954 with his first wife, Maisie, and lived on Long Island, New York until 1967, when he moved to California. He married Norma, his second wife, in 1970, and they moved to Seattle in 1994 to be close to Norma’s family.
In his early years in the U.S., John first worked in a metal-fabrication shop operating a drill press, and then through a family connection got a job in electronics assembly in the home of Saul Marantz, who had recently started his audio products engineering company. (Yes, that Marantz!) He learned electronics, and then switched to software, and became a programmer and eventually an IT Manager in the aerospace industry until he retired in the late 1980s.
In addition to computers and electronics, John had many interests over his lifetime, including art, astronomy, and firearms. He even relived his old Army days by celebrating his 80th birthday with a tandem jump from 13,000 feet! He made a few solo jumps after that, until he broke his leg on a hard landing. But John’s greatest passion was his music. He loved listening to all types of music and loved playing his autoharp every day. John was very active in the Northwest autoharp community for many years, and even wrote a song that was published in the Autoharp Quarterly magazine.
John was preceded in death by his brother Robert Horner, and is survived by his stepson Jon Diemer and wife Martha, his grandchildren Kristin Russell and Neil Diemer and their families, his sister-in-law Nan Allen, and several relatives in England. His many West Seattle neighbors were like an extended family for John, and he deeply appreciated their friendship and support over the years.
John was 89 years old when he passed away, and had achieved his goal of living independently until the very end! A memorial and celebration of John’s life is planned for Sunday, January 14th, from 2-4 PM at his house in West Seattle.
Please share memories and condolences on the online guestbook at emmickfunerals.com. Arrangements entrusted to Emmick Family Funeral & Cremation Services of West Seattle.
(WSB publishes West Seattle obituaries by request, free of charge. Please e-mail the text, and a photo if available, to editor@westseattleblog.com)
Two reader reports tonight in West Seattle Crime Watch, both including car prowls:
IN NORTH DELRIDGE: After reading last night’s report about tools taken in a Pigeon Point shed break-in, Lauren sent this:
Both of the following incidents happened at our house located very close to Pigeon Point at Delridge and Oregon [map].
Sometime in the very early hours of yesterday, January 4th, both my and my boyfriend’s cars were broken into in our driveway. Nothing of value was inside but items were clearly rifled through and strewn around. I discovered this at 7:30 am. Police report was filed.
This early AM (January 5th) at ~2:50AM, we heard a loud sound like a car door slamming. My boyfriend and I went out to the deck and saw a car part way up the driveway. The car quickly turned into the street and sped away very fast. The car was black or dark blue and either a PT Cruiser or a Mini Cooper.
IN ADMIRAL: From Wendy:
I wanted to report that we had a car prowl yesterday or last night on the 2600 block of 47th Ave SW [map]. We have reported it to the police but wanted to get the word out to the neighborhood to be aware. No signs of forced entry so not sure if we left it unlocked. We don’t keep much in our car, they took a phone charge cord, ice scraper, wet ones, a nearly empty tube of lotion, and a dog harness.
The only thing I care about having back is the dog harness. Brand-new green and brown Gooby.
P.S. The West Seattle Crime Prevention Council is back in session this month – Tuesday, January 16th, 7 pm at the Southwest Precinct (2300 SW Webster). Neighborhood crime updates and concerns are always the centerpiece, but this month WSCPC president Richard Miller has also scheduled a guest, Steven Freng from the Northwest High-Intensity Drug Trafficking Areas, who will talk about “recent drug use trends, including specific problem drugs and other emerging issues,” according to the announcement from Crime Prevention Coordinator Jennifer Burbridge.
At Seattle Lutheran High School north of The Junction, it’s a much-anticipated time of year – “J-Term.” This year, the students in our photo above will be participating in the first “J-Term Abroad,” including senior Alex Okabayashi, who wrote this to explain:
After Christmas Break at Seattle Lutheran High School, we swap our regular classes for elective-based block periods for the entire month of January. We call this “J-Term.” This gives the students opportunities to explore their passions and find something new about themselves. My junior year, I took 3 classes in total: fiber clay, creative writing, and team sports. J-Term let me decompress from finals and start the new year off fresh while also letting me pursue some of my hobbies in a classroom environment.
However, when I heard about the first J-Term Abroad trip, I was instantly hooked. A 2-week marine-science course in the Caribbean with 10 other students on a catamaran sounded spectacular. Scuba-diving and marine biology right on the water sounded amazing, but I was a bit reluctant. I’ve never done anything like this before, but once some of my friends started signing up, the window for this opportunity was shrinking super quickly (all of the spots for guys were taken by the first day)! We’ll be sailing along crystal clear waters surrounded by forested islands in less than a few days, and it feels like everything is coming full circle. Have fun in the rain, by the way…
SLHS, by the way, has an open house coming up January 25th.
ORIGINAL JANUARY 5TH REPORT: Early heads-up: One week from tomorrow – on Saturday morning, January 13th – the Alaskan Way Viaduct will close for four hours, both ways from Seneca to Denny, including the Battery Street Tunnel. This is for an inspection related to plans for decommissioning the BST when the Highway 99 tunnel goes into service and takes the Viaduct out of service. The closure is scheduled for 6 to 10 am on January 13th.
JANUARY 8TH UPDATE: The boundaries of the closure, originally published on SDOT’s weekly construction/closure advisory, were wrong, WSDOT tells us today, and it’s basically just the Battery Street Tunnel, so if you are northbound during the closure, you will be able to exit at Western; if you are southbound, you will be able to exit at Denny. And the Elliott Avenue onramp to SB 99 will remain open.
(Sound Transit’s West Seattle-to-Ballard ‘representative’ map – draft ‘alignment’)
By Tracy Record
West Seattle Blog editor
If you care about what’s going to happen with West Seattle’s forthcoming light-rail line, you need to pay attention to and get involved in the process right now, especially for the next year and a half – though it’s not due to arrive until 2030, the timeline depends on key decisions being made in the next year and a half.
That point was made repeatedly during the first meeting of one of the groups that will be involved in the planning process for Sound Transit‘s West Seattle and Ballard extensions, the Elected Leadership Group. Here’s video of the meeting, just published by Seattle Channel:
Another point: The planning process is not ONLY for groups – individual comments will be vital. (But if you want to get involved at a more-intense level, you are invited to apply ASAP for one of up to seven spots open on the soon-to-launch Stakeholders Advisory Group, which has 19 members already announced – more on them, and how to apply, later.)
West Seattle-residing County Council Chair Joe McDermott is co-chairing the Elected Leadership Group with City Councilmember Mike O’Brien. Others in attendance at the group’s first meeting, at Sound Transit headquarters on the south side of downtown, included Mayor Jenny Durkan, King County Executive Dow Constantine, and City Councilmembers Sally Bagshaw, Lorena González, Bruce Harrell, Lisa Herbold, and Rob Johnson.
ST CEO Peter Rogoff opened by speaking of a “certain sense of urgency” and mentioned “how much worse congestion will get … before we can deliver these projects.” He also mentioned the hope of speeding up the projects beyond the current 2030 West Seattle/2035 Ballard opening plans. And he acknowledged the complex logistics – including the bridges to be built over waterways for both lines, and the new tunnel that the Ballard line will use. He vowed to be “responsive” and “straightforward” in the anticipated “back and forth,” and promised that ST would do its best to answer questions thoroughly and transparently.
Two West Seattleites was among the half-dozen people who spoke during the public comment period early in the meeting.
New information today about Thursday’s home-invasion robbery on Puget Ridge. An area resident has provided Seattle Police with images of what police say might be the getaway vehicle – likely a silver 4-door 1999 Buick, with one particularly distinctive feature: Lug-nut covers missing on both passenger-side wheels.
Otherwise, police say there’s not too much more than what we originally reported – it happened just before noon in the 5200 block of 18th SW, and they don’t know why this particular house was targeted. Four people forced their way into the house; at least two had handguns. They are described only as black, male, with dark hoodies covering most of their faces. They demanded cash, and were told the people in the house had none. One resident was “pistol-whipped outside the house” before the robbers broke in; they took “nothing of value,” SPD Det. Mark Jamieson told WSB this morning, and let barely two minutes after they arrived. Robbery detective St. John is investigating – call 206-386-4050; the incident number is 2018-004202.
(“Synchronized” sea lions, thermoregulating! Photographed by Kersti Muul while orca-watching in West Seattle Thursday)
The first weekend of 2018 is on the way. Here’s your list of possibilities, from the WSB West Seattle Event Calendar:
LOG HOUSE MUSEUM: The home of West Seattle’s history is open noon-4 pm. (61st SW/SW Stevens)
WORDS, WRITERS, WEST SEATTLE: New location for the Southwest Seattle Historical Society-presented first-Friday author series – Southwest Library. 5-7 pm tonight, drop in to hear from David M. Hansen, talking about his book “Battle Ready,” telling the stories of the coastal forts in the Northwest a century ago. (9010 35th SW)
VISCON CELLARS: Tasting room open 5-9 pm – stop in and enjoy a glass of wine at Viscon Cellars (WSB sponsor); bottles available for purchase too. (5910 California SW)
JAZZ AT SALTY’S: Dave Holo Trio performs, 5-8 pm, at Salty’s on Alki (WSB sponsor). No cover/minimum. (1936 Harbor SW)
SKATE NIGHT: 5:45 pm-7:45 pm, skating at Alki Community Center. $3/person. (5817 SW Stevens)
AT C & P COFFEE COMPANY: 7-9 pm, live music with David Johnson. (5612 California SW)
AT THE SKYLARK: Live music at 8 pm, with Snaketopus, TENRAI, and Hands of Deliverance. $8 cover. 21+. (3803 Delridge Way SW)
AND THERE’S MORE … on our complete-calendar page.
Christmas tree still up, and drying out? Curbside pickup or transfer-station dropoff options not quite working for you? Tomorrow brings another option – the West Seattle Rainbow Girls’ annual dropoff event in The Junction. They’ll be at the Masonic Center parking lot (4736 40th SW) between 9 am and 1 pm Saturday (January 6th) to accept your tree. It’s a fundraiser, so the fee is whatever you want to donate for the service.
(SDOT MAP with travel times/video links; is the ‘low bridge’ closed? LOOK HERE)
6:57 AM: Good morning! No incidents in/from West Seattle so far this morning, nor is there anything major in the area with potential ripple effects.
8:08 AM: The skipped Route 56 mentioned by commenters has finally resulted in an after-the-fact Metro alert:
Transit Alert – Route 56 to downtown Seattle due to leave 61 Av SW & Alki Av SW at 7:32 AM did not operate this morning.
— King County Metro🚌 (@kcmetrobus) January 5, 2018
8:37 AM: Another Metro note – the “online open house” for the Route 120 conversion into the RapidRide H Line, your next feedback opportunity, is open for 10 days starting today – it starts here.
| 2 COMMENTS