John R. Adamsen, 75

John R. Adamsen, 75, passed away early Wednesday morning, Jan. 21, 2015, with lung cancer during a three-day stay at Dignity Mercy Gilbert Hospital in Gilbert, Ariz. Born June 18, 1939, to Arthur H. and Juanita (Bobbie) Adamsen of Seattle, Wash. He cherished his parents dearly and lived in the Everett/Lynwood area for 37 years.

After graduating from Everett High School, John enlisted in the U.S. Army on his 18th birthday to take special electronics schooling with military training. He liked jumping out of airplanes, but the winds carried him too far away from his unit! He was transferred to the Center Post Teletype Operations and Communication Centers. This Army soldier (if at war) would have been one of the first to die for his country. John received three medals of honor during his service.

In November 1977, John married his blonde sweetheart, Vickey Averitt of Coeur d’Alene, Idaho. He was a romantic and loyal husband, a devoted family man raising four children, and they enjoyed four grandchildren throughout their 37 years of marriage.

He traveled the world as a professional electronics sales training manager for 22 years with John Fluke Mfg. Co. in Everett, Wash. His expertise and devotion to John Fluke Mfg. Co. helped achieve the first $1 million in sales. In 1981, he took his wife, Vickey, to Germany, Holland, Belgium and Hawaii for business events so she could be with him. Outside the United States, John’s favorite place was Singapore.

He worked 10 years for Brevard Lighting and Showroom in Cocoa, Fla. He learned to enhance the beauty of homes and buildings with landscape lighting skills. In 1994, they moved to Tempe, Ariz., so he could have ‘special moments’ with everyone between busy schedules.

His dream of taking a hot-air balloon ride with his daughter Hanne became a reality on one of her visits. After the landing was a great surprise with champagne toasts, laughter and cheers! John planned to take Vickey to Tennessee last summer; but only God knew John was sick and all our lives would change on Jan. 3, 2015.

In 1992, his daughter Teresa made him a grandfather. He loved her family’s home-cooked barbecues, steak and crab-leg dinners coupled with playing Pinochle, watching some of his favorite television shows like “Ally McBeal,” ventriloquist Jeff Dunham, “CSI Nevada” and “NCIS.”

John took short rides in PJ’s 1955 Ford F-100 truck. Within the East Valley Phoenix area were several Arizona antique classic vehicle shows. However, John really enjoyed the entertainment one year when he saw his son walking up to receive his big trophy!

In December 2014, his son Tim flew down with his girlfriend, surprising his father during the holidays with tickets to watch John’s four favorite football teams — professional playoff tickets for the Seattle Seahawks versus the Arizona Cardinals and college football playoff tickets for the Arizona Sun Devils versus the Washington State Huskies — on Jan. 3, 2015.

John loved early mornings, hot coffee, working Sudoku games, reading newspapers and library books. He had a love of golfing, whether in the rain or in 120-degree heat! Watching football games and NASCAR races with Fat Tire beer or Chivas Regal Scotch. Both watched Bible movies on television, Joyce Meyers and Joel Osteen Ministries; Sheppard Smith’s reporting on Fox News and “The O’Reilly Factor.” John enjoyed country music, Neil Diamond and The Platters concerts with Vickey, moonlight walks and dancing.

John is survived by his wife, Vickey (now in Idaho); daughters Hanne (Rob) Flippen (Tennessee), and Teresa Knaack (Arizona); sons Tim in Seattle and PJ in Idaho; brother Lary (Judy) in California; sister Linda (Bill) Hoskinson (Hawaii); cousins Karen Kunze and David Hall (California); nephew Dirk Adamsen and niece Michelle (California); John’s wife’s Idaho family: mom Joy Averitt, Judi King, Nancy Averitt-Campbell, Donnie Averitt; nieces Judith (Tinky) Smith, Jacque Wilson and Marcee Cavallaro, and Jeri Lee King (Oklahoma); nephews Jake and Shawn (Idaho); grandchildren Samantha, Tabitha, Jessica and Sophia; and two great-grandchildren (Arizona).

Requesting “that’s my wish,” John was cremated by the National Cremation Society in Phoenix, Ariz. His ashes were sent to his son, Tim. Many thanks go to John Greeney and staff for respecting his final arrangements and helping his wife, Vickey, through this difficult time.

Veteran’s honorable ceremony services were held on Sunday, Jan. 25, 2015, at American Legion Post No. 35 on Chandler Boulevard in Arizona by Commander Tom, with his wife, Julie, singing. Thank you to our Post No. 35 for everything. God bless you.

Special thanks of love go out to son, Michael Knaack, Tempe, and Amber Brown for helping Vickey through all her many unexpected needs.