John Nathaniel Wierman

John Nathaniel Wierman
John Nathaniel Wierman, 97, passed away quietly due to heart failure on July 1, 2018, at the Clearbrook Inn assisted living facility in Silverdale, Washington, his residence since September 2010. John was born in Grandview, Washington May 28, 1921. A son of John Henry Wierman, he was the fifth of nine children of Lois Jennie Stone Heath Wierman. John attended school in Belfair and Port Orchard, Washington, and at age 15 he joined the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) along with his older brother Edward Wierman. For two years he drove a CCC supply truck, worked building trails and bridges, and fought forest fires in Olympic National Park. He then worked at the Puget Sound Naval Shipyard (PSNS) until 1944, when he served 2 years in the US Army. He was stationed on a Navy ship off the coast of the Philippines, working to repair damaged Navy vessels sufficiently for them to resume duty or to make it back to a shipyard for additional repair. After the war he farmed for four years in the Yakima Valley and worked as a pipe layer during construction of the Hanford Nuclear Plant. Returning to the Bremerton area, he resumed work as a ship fitter at PSNS until he retired in 1973. He was an avid salmon fisherman and gardener, and liked to work crossword puzzles and picture puzzles. Over the years, working with his brothers he built homes for the family in Grandview, Kitsap Lake, and Silverdale, and in the 1960's he also helped build the Silverdale United Methodist Church.
John married Edith Elizabeth Ashley in 1941, and they raised three children: Lois F.W. Danks of Port Angeles, John C. Wierman of Towson, Maryland, and Lorene (who passed away in 1972). While John was in the Army Edith worked as a crane operator at PSNS. She later operated a hobby shop from their home in Kitsap Lake for many years, and John tooled leather items. After studying at Olympic College, Edith earned a Bachelor's degree by commuting to the University of Washington while John worked swing shift at PSNS. Edith taught home economics at Central Kitsap High School for 12 years. They were married for 35 years until her death from leukemia in 1976. John then married Wilma Elizabeth Williams, a good friend from the Silverdale United Methodist Church whose husband also had passed away, and he and Wilma enjoyed 31 years together including numerous cross country trips to visit relatives from both their families. Wilma passed away in 2007.
Family and friends were always very important to John. He was honest and responsible, hard-working and frugal, and he always helped others--family, friends, and the community--whenever he could. He appreciated visits from friends and family and the care he received from staff members while at the Clearbrook Inn. He will be greatly missed by his friends and family.
John is survived by his daughter and son, two grandsons (John Danks of Port Angeles and Adam Wierman of Altadena, California), two great grandchildren (Rebecca and Jeremy Wierman of Altadena), brothers Paul, Daniel, and William Wierman, and sister Doris (Wierman) Johnson.
A reception to honor John's memory will be held at Clearbrook Inn assisted living facility at 2333 Schold Place NW, Silverdale, on Monday, July 9, at 2 p.m. In addition, a memorial service and reception will be held at the Silverdale United Methodist Church, 9982 Silverdale Way NW, on Sunday, August 5, at 2 p.m.
In lieu of flowers, remembrances may be made to the Silverdale United Methodist Church via their website at http://www.silverdale-umc.org/give/index.html or by mail to 9982 Silverdale Way NW, Silverdale, Washington 98383.