John Theodore "Ted" Yearian

March 29, 1934 - April 10, 2013

John Theodore "Ted" Yearian, 79, of Port Townsend died at home on April 10, 2013, after a yearlong journey with cancer.

Ted was born on March 29, 1934, in Salmon, Idaho, to John Kenneth Yearian and Doris Mary (England) Yearian.

In 1941, his family moved to Chehalis, Washington, where he attended St. Joseph's Catholic School, graduating from eighth grade in 1948. After three years at Chehalis High School, he transferred to St. Martin's High School, graduating with the class of 1952.

He began college at St. Martin's, then transferred to Gonzaga and on to Seattle University in 1955, always seeking employment to finance his education.

The draft board notified him in the fall of 1956. He spent two years at Fort Carson, Colorado, in the Fifth Artillery Unit. In July of 1957, he married his Seattle University sweetheart, Patricia Luosey from Gig Harbor, Washington. They spent the first year of their married life in Colorado Springs.

Upon returning to civilian life, Ted and Pat moved to the Tacoma area, where he worked for Northwestern Drug Company, first in the warehouse and later as a traveling salesman covering the area from Gig Harbor to Forks.

After living briefly in Bremerton, he built a home for his young family in 1961 near Gig Harbor. He continued to work for Northwest Drug except for a year off in 1963 while he finished his degree in political science and business at St. Martin's College.

In 1965, he joined Hanna and Powell Drug Company, managing the two stores in Port Orchard and the new one in the Tacoma area. Ted was an active member of the Gig Harbor community, a member of St. Nicholas Parish and the Mountaineers Club.

During the years on the road, he met Don Hoglund while calling on Baker Drug in Port Townsend. The two families became friends. When Don built the Pharmacy in the Plaza, Ted helped him with purchasing inventory and store layout. In 1970, Don offered Ted full-time work as the store's buyer and manager. He worked at Don's Pharmacy until retiring in 2007.

Ted and Pat purchased their Victorian home on Clay Street in the summer of 1970, moving their family of eight to settle in Port Townsend. They spent many years restoring their home with the help of their children, family and friends. Eventually the home became part of the Historic Homes Tour in the late 1970s.

Ted had a passion for photography, beginning in his youth with a box camera and developing black-and-white film in the family bathroom. Throughout high school and college, he took photographs for his schools' yearbooks.

Later, when his children were school-aged, you could always find him at their sporting events with camera in hand taking action shots.

He enjoyed collecting old cameras and historical photos. Building his own darkroom at home, he eventually did archival work for the Jefferson County Historical Society, culminating in several displays. A favorite was his work on the McCurdy Collection. He copied many photos, making negatives and preserving precious family memories for local people.

Other hobbies he pursued over the years included mountain climbing; woodworking; raising rhododendrons, dahlias and begonias; bottle collecting; hiking, camping and skiing; fly-fishing; and painting.

Ted's other interest that never flagged was his fascination with the Polar Regions. His family believes he purchased and read almost every book published on Arctic and Antarctica explorers. It had been his hope to visit the North Pole; however, his rheumatoid arthritis made that only possible by book or online.

During retirement, he was a docent for the Marine Science Center, where he enjoyed learning, sharing information with visitors and encouraging children to try everything in the center.

Ted was devoted to his family and friends. He made hundreds of road trips to Idaho to visit his parents, and looked after his mother until she died last spring at age 104.

He also cared for two aunts and an elderly cousin during their later years.

He adored his wife and loved his children and grandchildren dearly. His friendships, while few, were steadfast and in many cases lifelong.

He leaves behind his wife, Pat; and his seven children and their spouses: Thomas Yearian and Susan Pevonak of Bellingham; Julie (Greg) Boehm of Seattle; Bridget Yearian and Tom Hueberger of Port Townsend; Philip (Mary) Pat Yearian of Gig Harbor; Christopher Yearian and Ingibjorg Gilsladottir of Boras, Sweden; Sean Yearian and Christina da Silva of Seattle; and Rachel (Jon) Greenwood of Bellingham.

His many grandchildren also survive him: Annan, Claire, Brandon, Roman, Caroline, Keegan, Max, Levi, Jack, River, Jasmine, Lauren, Hilary, Aliyah, Sally, Mateu, Will, Joshua and Frida, Maria, Brimar of Sweden.

He's also survived by his brother, Calvin Yearian, and many nieces and nephews.

Ted was preceded in death by his mother and father and an infant daughter.

A funeral Mass is planned for Friday, April 19, at 12:05 p.m. with Father John Topel, SJ, officiating at St. Mary's Catholic Church. A reception will follow in the church hall.

His final resting place will be in the Yearian Cemetery in Leadore, Idaho.

Memorial contributions can be sent to the Port Townsend Marine Science Center, St. Martin's University or Jefferson County Hospice.