April 4, 1936 – May 30, 2025
John was born in Sioux Falls, South Dakota to John J. Burggraff and Margaret (Sechser) Burggraff. He had one younger sister, Eugenia, and lived on the family farm in Hartford, South Dakota until the family moved to town during World War II. John attended Cathedral High School and, as a tall boy, spent many holy day hours on the altar holding the crucifix.
John graduated from South Dakota School of Mines and Technology in Rapid City, South Dakota in 1958 with a degree in mechanical engineering. He enrolled in ROTC at college and was inducted in the army after graduation. He was recruited by Boeing and moved to the West Coast. Preferring facilities to airplanes, he worked as a consulting engineer and was then hired by the University of Washington in Seattle as a professional engineer.
John met Mary Stratton in Seattle and they were married in 1963. They were blessed with four boys: Tim, Tom, Joe and Paul, and were active in St. Matthew’s parish.
At the U.W. John became manager of the Design Division, responsible for renovations and alterations of campus buildings. He later managed the campus utility infrastructure. In all he served the U.W. for thirty years.
John met Janet Quimby at work who lived on Vashon Island and was building fences and a barn for horses. Using his farming and engineering skills, he finished the barn and then designed and built their home. They married in 1993 and lived in the home he built until his passing. As a child of the Depression and a tractor owner, he was a popular resource for islanders looking for the odd pipe fitting or help with repairs.
John enjoyed travel, especially river cruises in Europe. He also enjoyed Australia and French Polynesia.
John served on the Seattle Archdiocesan Building Commission and the Vashon Senior Center board of directors. He managed the Senior Center grant-funded renovation in 2016. Paradise Ridge Park benefited from his engineering and building skills. With his U.W. cohorts, he was a member of the IWW, Itinerant Widow Workers, who performed repair and renovation projects for widows in exchange for lunch.
John was preceded in death by his parents and sister. He is survived by his wife, Janet; his four boys Tim (Amber), Tom (Kimberly), Joe (Sheryl), and Paul (Cindy); grandchildren: Colleen, Makaila, Samuel, Jacob and Andrew; and two great grandsons: Jack and Finn.
John endured sciatica and congestive heart failure before his passing. A funeral mass for John will be held at St. John Vianney Catholic Church 16100 115th Ave. SW, Vashon on Friday, August 1st at 11:00 a.m. followed by lunch and sharing memories in the parish social hall.
