Richard Earl Lingen

Richard Earl Lingen, son of Norwegian immigrants Raynard Lingen and Breta Nese, died July 23, 2007, in Port Townsend.

Lingen was born Sept. 8, 1926, in Seattle, and grew up in Ballard. After he graduated from Ballard High School in 1944, he joined the United States Army and was stationed in a hospital in San Francisco during World War II as a pharmicist in a burn unit.

After he was discharged in 1946, he returned to Washington and attended the University of Washington, where he was a member of the crew team. He soon became interested in engineering and joined the Army Corps of Engineers, working in the Hoquiam, Wash., area.

On Oct. 23, 1948, Lingen married his high-school sweetheart, Jackie Larson, in Moorehead, Minn. Then the couple moved to Chicago, where Lingen attended the Allied Institute of Technology, became a master machinist and earned a bachelor of science degree in tool engineering.

Upon graduation, the Lingens returned to Seattle, where Richard was employed by Boeing. There, he became part of a materials research team that pioneered systems in titanium development — in particular, for the Boeing Supersonic Transport.

In 1971, the family moved to Irvine, Calif., where Lingen worked for Stresskin Technology — a material manufacturer for the British and French supersonic transport passenger airlines.

Lingen returned to Seattle in 1975 and bought a small welding shop, Ironcraft, in West Seattle.

Lingen’s hobbies included woodworking, boat-building, beachcombing and fishing. Family members said he also had a lifelong passion for animals and their welfare.

Lingen retired in 1991 to the family’s beach cabin on Vashon Island. There he and his wife made their home at the end of the road. Family members said Lingen and all of his family loved their Vashon cabin retreat. For many years Lingen was active on Vashon with road work parties and other such community activities aimed at improving life for all.

He enjoyed just being with his family and neighbors. Certainly everyone enjoyed him and his enthusiasm for life on Vashon, said family members. It was a special place and he felt at home there.

His wife Jackie died suddenly in 1997, but Lingen remained at the cabin until January 2006, when he moved to San Juan Villa in Port Townsend. There he became a part of their community and truly enjoyed his final years in Port Townsend with loving caregivers at the San Juan Villa.

Lingen is survived by his children: Kathryn Howard and son-in-law Tom Howard of Port Townsend; Mark Lingen and daughter-in-law Gayle Lingen of Port Orchard.; and Doug Lingen and daughter-in-law Martha Lingen of Nevada City, Calif. Other survivors include his six grandchildren and three great-grandchildren.

A memorial for Lingen will be held at Trinity Methodist Church in Port Townsend at 2 p.m. on Sept. 8. The funeral home is Kosec Funeral Home of Port Townsend.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests that contributions be made to an animal shelter of the individual’s choice.