Benjamin Franklin Rotter (1933-2024) age 91, passed away peacefully on October 10th, 2024, following a brief illness. His son, Mike, and daughter-in-law, Devon, were by his side, and his son, Pat, and grandson, Sean, visited him in the hospital.

He had recently attended the graduation of his grandson, Brent, from the U.W. with his son, John, in June. His daughter, Molly had come from Mexico to visit him in September.

Born August 12, 1933 in Tacoma, Washington, he was from a family of 12, with 8 boys and 2 girls. The family had a dairy farm near Kettle Falls. Ben told memorable stories of cows jumping the fences and kids operating farm equipment. There were many scars to prove that. He grew up as a young boy with no electricity in the home.

During his service in the United States Air Force, he was stationed in Korea and the Philippines.

He met his wife Sonja, a recent widow with three very young boys in the Clearwater River area, not far from Lake Quinualt when he was 32 and she was 26. The story goes that she would make him a cup of if he saddled her horse “Red.” Six weeks later they were married.

Taking advantage of the G.I. Bill, he graduated with both a Bachelor of Arts degree and a Bachelor of Arts in Education degree from Western Washington University. After graduation, the couple moved to Vashon Island, where they raised four children. Following a successful career in the dairy industry, culminating in being a sales manager for Klenzade. He served as a consultant for many years after he retired.

Both he and his wife enjoyed taking the family camping, and backpacking all over the Olympic and Cascade Mountains. They enjoyed visiting his mother in-law at Kalaloch Lodge — where his wife Sonjagrewup. They also spent summers in Canada at his mother-in-law’s cabins on Beaver Lake and George Lake.

In the 1970s they bought a 27-foot sail boat which they took to the San Juan Islands every summer. The family has wonderful memories of sailing throughout the islands. As they got older, they both enjoyed taking their grandchildren with them on these trips, along with their beloved dog “Irish” (a Labrador retriever /Golden retriever mix). They upgraded the sailboats a couple of times. The last one — docked in Genoa Bay on Vancouver Island served as a summer escape.

After retirement, they built their dream home between Sequim and Port Angeles. It had a wonderful garden and a beautiful view of Hurricane Ridge.

They were fortunate to go on multiple trips and cruises abroad, and discover new countries together, which they both enjoyed.

After his wife, Sonja, moved to a memory care facility in Poulsbo in 2016, he found the perfect home for himself, overlooking the Olympic mountains in Poulsbo. He visited her faithfully until she passed in 2022.

He enjoyed spending time with his family and working in the garden surrounding his home, which he helped design and cultivate.

He is survived by his four children, John (Melanie) Rotter, Pat Rotter, Mike (Devon) Rotter, and Molly (Virginia Saunders) Ottersen; his sister-in-law Mary Kay (Bill Johnston) Becker; his nine grandchildren Brent Rotter, Sean (Heather) Rotter, Zane (Tasha) Rotter, Scotty (Katie) Rotter, and their mother Jenifer Rotter, Megan Korn, Danielle Rotter, Claire Rotter, Kate Rotter and Jonathon Rotter. He also leaves behind six great-grandchildren.