Martin Anthony Petrich, Jr.

Obituary Martin A. Petrich Jr. Patient, kind and loving husband, father and friend. Born 5/5/15, deceased 9/18/07 Preceded in death by his wife Jean, brothers Hervey, Allen, & Jim, and grandson Ben Petrich, he is survived by friend, companion and soul mate Dolores Havlina, brother John A. (Jack) Petrich (Ann Louise), sister Sr. Mary Ellen Petrich S.S.S., brother-in-law Frank Clark, sons and daughters Martin Petrich III (Suzy) Ann Petrich Sloper, Catherine Petrich, Susan Petrich Emerson (Tom), Joe Petrich (Suzanne), Regina Petrich, George Petrich (Kathleen), and grandchildren Tracie, Ian, Mary, Nick, Marisa and Forrest, Amy, Marie, James and great grand-daughter Mikhayla, and many nieces and nephews. Martin began his life in Old Town Tacoma, graduated from Bellarmine Prep and attended the University of Washington where he rowed on the crew team. Martin then worked with his brothers at his father's shipyard Western Boat Building Company constructing fishing boats, tugs, small cargo vessels, and in the war years minesweepers and coastal utility vessels. In the late thirties Martin and his brother Hervey took the 65 ft salmon seiner Western Explorer to the east coast via the Panama Canal to sell the idea of western style purse-seining to the Atlantic fishing fleet. In the early forties he was swept off his feet by a petite and brilliant young woman from Stony Point N.Y. named Jean Clark who working in the Roosevelt administration in Washington DC. Their long distance relationship was cemented in a whirlwind vacation/marriage in Tucson Arizona. Martin and Jean proceeded to raise 7 feisty, independent, loving children. After the war he took over operation of Marine Iron Works Inc. and created its Puget Sound Heat Treating Division. He transformed MIW from producing Mighty Man garden tractors to high-tech close-tolerance aircraft parts. Martin built a summer cabin on Fox Island which he loved and took great pride in maintaining. He would work off the stress of the business day working on the property then take an evening swim in the cold Puget Sound waters, challenging his children to join him, a tradition which he continued well into his 80's. After losing Jean to cancer in 1980, Martin's brother Jack introduced him to Dolores Havlina who electrified Martin with her charm, wit and love of dancing. Soon he resumed his love of travel with her. He embraced Dolores' family as an extension of his own and enjoyed their company. The devoted pair danced their way around the world and were inseparable for more than 26 years. A devout Catholic, Martin was a long-time member of St Patrick Parish and later St Charles Borromeo Parish, the Knights of Columbus, the Slavonian-American Benevolent Society, the Elks Club, the Propeller Club of the United States, the Tacoma Country and Golf Club and the early K-Street Boosters. The family suggests donations be made to Bellarmine Preparatory School, 2300 So. Washington St., Tacoma, WA 98405. They also wish to thank the staff of Tacoma Lutheran Home for their loving care and compassion during his stay. Mass of Christian Burial will be held on Monday Sept. 24th, 11:00 am, St Charles Borromeo Catholic Church. Rosary will be recited, Sunday Sept. 23rd, 7:00 pm, Gaffney Funeral Home Chapel. Interment at Calvary Cemetery. Please leave online condolences at www.gaffneyfuneralhome.com. Arrangements by Gaffney Funeral Home 253-572-6003.