Joseph Perucca

1924 - 2019

Joseph Perucca

Joseph Perucca, age 94, passed away peacefully with family March 2, 2019 at the VA hospital in Seattle. Joe was born July 19, 1924 in Ronald, WA. He is survived by his 3 daughters Linda Sexton, of Chimacum WA, Carol Morris, of Federal Way, WA, and Joan Higman of Covington, WA son in law, Randy Higman. He was preceded in death by his significant other Betty Wadell, parents Peter and Minnie Perucca, stepfather Frank Giuistino, sister Madeline Tonda and brother John. He had 7 grandchildren; Ebony, Lisa, Jessica, Sarah, Soma, Jeroma and Seth, 10 great grandchildren and 2 great great grandchildren. He graduated from Cle Elum High School the same year he joined the Navy at age 18, served in the Philippines as a Navy Sea Bee during WWII and returned home to wed Jeroma Broz, his wife of 18 years and Mother of his 3 daughters. He first began a machinist apprenticeship in Bremerton WA then joined the Boeing CO in Seattle and retired there after 40 years as a technical engineer. He relished the time he was given to pursue his passion for gardening, cooking, winemaking, fishing, hunting, mushrooming, huckle berrying and visiting with his many family and friends in the Seattle area and his home in Ronald, WA. Family was paramount to him. He loved music and football and steadfastly swam /exercised till the age of 94, at the West Seattle YMCA. He was a mountain man at heart and worked for the Kittitas Forestry Civil Conservation Corps during his summers as a teenager manning the Cascade range Thorpe Mountaintop fire look out tower by himself which had only a rudimentary communication system. He once said he felt "closest to God in the mountains". These experiences especially his Navy assignment constructing naval bases in the Pacific as a "Can do" Sea Bee, undoubtedly all influenced his ability to repair or make most anything thing or create solutions to many problems. Joe always kept his sense of humor and zest for life even until his last days.

He will be laid to rest in the Rosyln VA cemetery.

There will be a Celebration of Life

event held in honor of Joe on Sunday, May 26th, 2:00 PM at the Hawthorne Hall (gym) Ronald, WA.

The family suggests that donations may be given to the Roslyn Ronald Cle Elum Heritage Club in Joe's memory if desired in lieu of flowers: RRCH Club C/O Jana Bland PO Box 916, Cle Elum, WA 98922

All friends and family are welcome to come and

celebrate his life.