John Raymond Starbird, “Jack”

In loving memory of John Raymond Starbird, “ Jack,”  age 82.  Lifetime resident of Seattle WA, Jack died peacefully on Sept 1, 2014 at Christa Nursing Facility after a long battle with cancer.

Jack was born on Mar 15, 1936 at Deaver Wyoming. Son of Jack and Helen Starbird, with sisters Dorothy May and Ruth Ellen.

Jack was married to his loving wife Doreen for over forty years and follow her passing on August 8, 2013.

Jack was educated at the Bremerton Naval Shipyard as a Naval Architect and the University of Washington in interior product design. He worked for Nickum and Spaulding Associates for many years. The company was commissioned to design many ferries and other ships used on the North America’s west coast. Ships designed by Nickum and Spaulding are still used to this day by the Alaska Marine Highway, Washington State Ferries, BC Ferries and Golden Gate Ferries in San Francisco.

Jack was hired by the WSDOT Washington State Department of Transportation as a consultant for designing ship sound control systems and later for the New Building Team of Holland America.

Recently he was the Founder and Chief Product Architect of Argosy Acoustics and Innovations with several patents on designs to solve noise problems.

Jack was talented on the trumpet and piano and had a flair and passion for song writing. He often performed his original music at the Gift of Grace Church for Sunday Services.

He is survived by the daughter of his wife Doreen from a previous marriage Jenny Rush and Doreen’s grandchildren Jessica Swafford, JoAnna Stevenson and Jeremy Brown, sister Ruth Ellen Jacobsen, brother-in-law Richard Jacobsen, nephews Jon and Carl and his 100 year old mother Helen, and favorite cat George.

Memorial services will be held on Sunday Sept 21 at 5pm at the Gift of Grace Church. 2102 N. 40th St Seattle WA 98103 (206) 632-2662. Please make donations to the American Cancer Society.