Ted Alvin Radon

In Memory of Ted Radon

A Life Well Lived

     Ted Radon passed away on January 22nd, just a few days after celebrating his 94th birthday with family. He left this life as he lived it; well-loved and surrounded by family members.

     Born on January 19th, 1931 in Stockton, California to Paul and Thelma Radon, he was the second of six children. The family moved to the Spokane, Washington area in 1947, where he would meet his future wife, Shirley Gilliam. They were married on December 26th, 1951 while he was in the Air Force, and would go on to have four children in Four Lakes, Washington. After the Air Force, Ted worked as a plasterer, occasionally traveling to the Pullman, Moscow, and Kalispell college campuses, often staying in his camper and going home for weekends. He moved his family to Port Townsend, Washington in 1974 to build boats with his older brother, Ron. The three older children, on their own by then, would all come to reside in the Port Townsend area as well to raise their families.

     In 1976, he bought and renamed the boatbuilding business, naming it Ted’s Radoncraft. The business thrived for the next ten years, with many of the boats in Port Townsend Bay being made by Ted’s Radoncraft. In 1986, with the fishing industry suffering a severe decline, he sold the business back to his brother and made a brief return to plastering in Seattle. He returned to Port Townsend upon retiring.

     He enjoyed a very active retirement, spending 20 years snowbirding to Quartzsite, Arizona, and traveling all over North America. He had many interests and talents, and was a skilled outdoorsman, woodworker, and lapidary artist. Many of his carved and stone pieces are cherished by family and buyers alike. He and his wife were members of San Juan Baptist Church for over 40 years, and together they saw many of their children and grandchildren there as well.

     He is survived by Shirley, his wife of 73 years, son Ken Radon (Sally), daughter Cindy Tuttle, daughter Debbie Hewitt (Richard), and son Dan Radon (Nancy), sisters Patsy Andrews and Denise Ross, brother Bob Radon (Debra), as well as ten grandchildren, 20 great grandchildren, 5 great great grandchildren, and many nieces and nephews.

He was a very loving, gentle, patient man, who touched many lives, and will be greatly missed.

There will be a memorial service at San Juan Baptist Church in Port Townsend at 11:00am on Saturday, February 15th.

The family asks that in lieu of flowers, donations be made to the Benevolence Fund at San Juan Baptist Church; a favorite of Ted’s.