John Franklin Boasen, 77, of Richland, passed away Saturday May 22, 2004 at Lakeridge Nursing Home in Moses Lake, WA.

On a Thanksgiving Day on November 25, 1926, and surely disrupting a turkey dinner Jack was born in Norman, Nebraska, to Susan and Charles Boasen. He was named John Franklin and nicknamed Jack. He was the youngest of seven. His siblings were Calvin, Margaret, Delma, Faye, Hazel and Ruth.

His childhood years were spent in Oxford, Nebraska, with a side trip of a year or so to Fort Collins, Colorado. When he was 12 years old the family moved to Rapid City, South Dakota. He graduated from Rapid City High School in 1944.

Jack, his parents, and sister Ruth followed sisters Delma, Faye and Hazel to Seattle, Washington, after his graduation. He worked for a time for Boeing Aircraft in Seattle, then returned to Rapid City, and in October 1944 joined the Navy with two school friends.

He trained at Camp Faragut in Idaho and Gulf Port, Michigan. He served aboard the Astoria and was on his ship in the harbor in Japan when Peace Treaty papers were signed.

After discharge in April 1946, he returned to Rapid City, went to Lead, S.D. and worked in gold mines for a time, then went to business college for one year in Rapid City. He then became an employee of Bell Telephone Company, working on construction crews and then as a cable splicer helper.

He spent some months in 1948 and 1949 in Alliance, Nebraska, preparing for going to a dial system. Here he met and began dating Margaret Peggy Titus who also was employed with Ma Bell. He proposed in June and on August 28th, 1949, they married and took up married life in Rapid City. In a few months they moved to Belle Fourche, S.D. Jack was transferred, where on August 1, 1950, their first child Nicola Nicki Sue was born. A few months later Jack was transferred back to Rapid City, where he became disenchanted and resigned his job. He took his family to Yakima, Washington. He found telephone work in Richland, Washington with General Electric in 1951 and commuted on weekends.

During this time, their son John Charles was born on February 5, 1952, in Yakima. After an 11 month wait in July 1952, Jack was assigned a government “A” house for his family in Richland. On October 22, 1954, a second daughter, Lenora Norri Lyn was born.

In February 1956, he resigned his job and moved his family to Redlands, California. There he worked for a telephone company that is now GTE. They stayed close to four years and had a second son, Frank Gilbert, on August 31, 1956. Their third daughter, Robin Lee, was born on June 10, 1959.

In October 1959, the family returned to Yakima, Washington where Jack found work with GTE in Kennewick. In six months there was an opening with General Electric in the Telephone Division and in February 1960, the family again took up residence in Richland.

Jack retired in November 1988 from GTE with 37 years bridged services time. Jack and Peggy would have been married 55 years in August.

Jack had been an elder at West Side United Protestant Church in Richland, and Chairman of the Mission Commission twice. He and Peggy worked three years as high school sponsors with some great teenagers, who are now great adults.

Jack loved fishing for all kinds of fish and spent much time in this pursuit. He played basketball and baseball in Belle Fourche, S.D. and basketball and softball in Richland. Jack loved sports, good country music and playing his mouth harp. His sense of humor is one of the great things that will be remembered. He loved to tease. He was a loving father who taught his children well.

Jack is survived by his wife, Peggy, his children Nicki Denny, John Boasen, Norri Beckelhymer, Frank Boasen, and Robin Boasen, twelve grandchildren, four great grand children, his sister Ruth Bierlein,and her husband Ted, and numerous nieces and nephews.

Memorial Service will be held Tuesday May 25, 2004 at 4:00 pm at Westside Church in Richland, WA. A private inurnment was held at Sunset Memorial Gardens in Richland, WA.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Tri-Cities American Cancer Society, 7325 West Deschutes, Ste. A, Kennewick, WA 99336 or to the Alzheimer’s Association Eastern Washington Chapter, 720 West Boone, Suite 101, Spokane, WA 99201.