Alexander Algert Skistimas

Alexander A. Skistimas, 91, of Maple Valley, Washington, passed away on January 8, 2024 surrounded by family.

Alex was born on January 18, 1932, in Kaunas, Lithuania. He was the oldest of seven siblings spending his early years within a rural farming environment. As World War II occurred, he was sporadically separated from various family members prior to the surviving members collective immigration to the United States. Alex took a trans-Atlantic ship to the U.S. in 1952 and quickly entered the U.S. Army which entailed being stationed in Germany.

Upon discharge from the Army, Alex entered technical college to become a mechanical engineer. He moved to Southern California and worked for defense and aerospace companies Aerojet, McDonnell Douglas and finally moved to Seattle for employment at Boeing in 1965. He worked on the design and development of the 737, 747, and Supersonic Transport.

His initial residence in Seattle was the Ponderosa Apartments which housed a mix of local aerospace engineers and flight attendants. He met flight attendant Joan Howitt and they married in 1967. They started a family and had three children together.

In 1970 Alex made a career change and became a real estate broker. He owned brokerage offices and several years later he also became a real estate appraiser. He actively sold real estate until his later years.

Alex had several hobbies and interests that lasted for decades starting with the Masons. He attained the degree of Master Mason followed by Scottish Rite and Shriner. He was a member of St. Johns Lodge #9 in Seattle until his passing.

In concert with family life, Alex was passionate about spending time outdoors throughout the Pacific Northwest. This included pheasant hunting in eastern Washington and moreover a love of fishing and boating. His never-ending saltwater pursuits for salmon and other species was formidable. He also had numerous methods for freshwater fishing that took years to perfect. Last, he loved spending time on Hood Canal crabbing and shrimping.

Notably, he spent a significant amount of time with family, children, and grandchildren fishing. He deeply enjoyed teaching his methods and could talk for hours with anyone on the subject. Alex was also an active member of Puget Sound Anglers and other local fishing organizations.

Alex is survived by his loving wife Joan of 56 years, their children Roger, Laura, and Greg along with their respective spouses and children. He is also survived by his eldest sons Ronald and Raymond and their respective spouses, children, and grandchildren.

A memorial will be held at Tahoma National Cemetery.

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