Obituaries — Jan. 15, 2025

Howard W. Kratzer

February 5, 1937- December 4, 2024

Howard W. Kratzer, “Skip” passed away peacefully at St. Francis Hospital in Federal Way, Washington on December 4, 2024. He was 87 years old. He had been very ill for over five years and is at peace now! He was born in Allentown, Pennsylvania, on February 5, 1937. He was a preemie baby known in those days as “shoebox babies.” He weighed 2 lbs. 7 ounces. His Grandma Mathers took him and raised him until he was a year old.

His parents then moved to Southern California. When he was a little older, his parents moved to the Seattle area. In his sophomore year, he decided he wanted to join the service. He served in the Air Force from 1954 to 1958. After his service, he returned to Seattle and found a job working on a sailboat headed for Hawaii. He became a very accomplished sailor, and that became his history for the next forty years.

He and Sharon owned a marine rep business for 20 years in Redmond, WA. He met and married the love of his life, Sharon Bougie. They married in May of 1964 and were together for 61 years. They moved to Newport Beach, CA and then returned to the Seattle area. He loved his family, fishing, camping, and traveling.

He also had a great love for cars. He had over 80 cars in his lifetime and for 50 years he pinstriped and added graphics to them. He was named to the Pinstriper Hall of Fame. Later in life he began painting pictures of cars on canvas. He never had an official lesson in his life. He was talented at so many things including music.

Skip’s father, Howard, mother, Joyce, brother, Edward (Tina), and Grandma Mathers preceded him in passing. Surviving Skip are Sharon, his beloved wife, Bonnie (Lorin) his sister, Son, Robert (Traci), Daughter, Michele (Dean), ten Grandchildren: Karlee Kratzer is with Jesus, Kailtyn Kratzer, Dalton Bond (Taylor), Brady Bond (Sophie), Bailee Kratzer, John Mangiameli (Samantha), and Great Grandchildren: Finley Mangiameli, Luca Mangiameli, Jay Bond, Robert Bowdre and a little girl on her way.

A Celebration of Skip’s Life will be held on, January 18, 2025, 1:00 pm, at Sequim Bible Church, 846 N. Sequim Ave., Sequim, WA