HAROLD JOHN SHIMER

February 12, 1919 -
October 30, 2016

Harold John Shimer, 97, a resident of Anacortes, went to be with the Lord on Sunday, October 30, 2016.

He was born on February 12, 1919 in Wurtsboro, N.Y., the son of Harold and Irma (McKee) Shimer.

Hal attended schools in Wurtsboro and Middleton, N.Y. and enjoyed working with his father on their 640 acre dairy farm.

After graduating from high school, he joined the US Navy and was called for duty on June 13, 1939; after boot camp, Hal began his naval career aboard the newly commissioned USS HELENA. The HELENA's first cruise was to South America and then was assigned to the Hawaiian Theater. He was aboard and took an active part in the attack on Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941
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Hal returned to the States and was re-assigned to establish a submarine supply depot in Fremantle, Australia during which, he earned an appointment to Chief Warrant Officer. Leaving Australia in 1947, Hal was assign to the Bureau of Naval Personnel in Washington, D.C., then on to Japan Naval Supply Depot, Yokosuka, Japan and Naval Depot, Seattle. He served aboard the USS PHILIPPINE SEA, USS MOUNT McKINLEY and USS CONSTELLATION, returning to Naval Station Seattle where he completed twenty-two years of service and retired in June 1961.

Hal resided in Seattle until moving to Snohomish in 1983 and to Anacortes in 1996.
He enjoyed his many friends and relatives, golfing and traveling east to visit his sisters and close relatives in Florida and New York.

Hal's great pleasure was golfing with all his friends in the Similk Men's Golf Club; he was an active member of the Pearl Harbor Survivors, Life Member of VFW and American Legion, and member of Anacortes Elks Lodge.

Hal leaves behind his wife Carolyn of Anacortes; daughter Patricia Armstrong of Desert Aire, WA, daughter Terrie (Lindsay) Hughes of Australia; step- daughter Brenda (David) Eissenstat of State College, PA; grandchildren, Toni Gill and Clayton Hughes of Australia; step- grandsons, Ethan and Daniel Eissenstat of State College, PA; great- grandchildren, Mitchell, Jamie and Katelin Gill, and Hayley and Brynn Hughes of Australia; step sister, Gale (Nicholas) Angelostro of St. Augustine, FL; sister-in-law, Blanche Shimer, and numerous nieces and nephews of New York, Virginia, Florida and Georgia.

A memorial service with Military Honors will be held at 1:30 p.m., Monday, November 7, 2016 at the First Baptist Church of Anacortes.

Interment will be held at Fernhill Cemetery in Anacortes, WA and Sylvan Cemetery in Wurtsboro, NY.

Arrangements are in the care of Evans Funeral Chapel and Crematory Inc., Anacortes and the San Juan Islands.

To share memories of Hal, please sign the online guest register at www.evanschapel.com