JOHN SYRETT

John Barry Syrett John Barry Syrett, born June 15, 1934 in England, passed away on February 27, 2011 in Gig Harbor, Washington, his home for the past 16 years. He retired to Gig Harbor after raising his family in Rancho Palos Verdes, California, where he flew with American Airlines for 30 years. As a boy, Barry experienced the trauma of the London Blitz, and the hardship of WWII. These events shaped his life and contributed to his intense interest in the history of that period. Barry earned his wings serving as a pilot in the Royal Canadian Air Force where he met Cecile, his wife of 53 years. After immigrating to the US in the early 1960s, he was hired by American, and served as vice-president of the Los Angeles chapter of the Allied Pilots Association and as union secretary for many years, publishing numerous articles the Association newsletter. In his spare time Barry enjoyed bicycling, collecting stamps, reading, and do-it-yourself home improvement projects. Among his greatest passion was restoring vintage cars, including his 1948 Buick and 1957 Austin Princess limousine. In 1992, Barry and Cecile retired to Gig Harbor from California. In his retirement Barry and Cecile enjoyed cruising the Puget Sound in their boat Fortune, which Barry piloted with the same skill he brought to his airline career. In early 2008, while in his mid-seventies, Barry joined the crew of the Mystic, an ocean-going yacht, and traversed the Atlantic for two months. Barry will be deeply missed by his wife of 53 years, Cecile; by his daughters Louise (Scott) Richardson of Gig Harbor, Claire Syrett of Eugene, OR, and Denise Syrett of Minneapolis, MN; and by his sister Virginia Syrett of England. His many friends and colleagues will also miss him, his wonderful dry humor, and his polite and charming manner. Family and friends are invited to gather for a celebration of Barry's life at 12:00 noon on Saturday, March 5, 2011 at Anthony's Restaurant, 8827 North Harborview Drive, Gig Harbor. Details of his service and his cremation are being handled by Haven of Rest Funeral Home, 8503 Highway 16, Gig Harbor, WA 98335 . If you'd like to send flowers or a wreath, they will be accepted there and will be on display during his services. Please leave your favorite memory or condolences for his family on his guestbook at www.havenrest.com . Remembrances in his name may be sent to The Neurology Tumor Fund, UWMC Dept of Neurology, Box 356465, 1959 NE Pacific St., Seattle, WA 98195 . The care he received at the University of Washington extended his life and contributed to its quality in his final days.