John "Jack" Francisco

Dec 12, 1930 -

Jul 29, 2020

John Marklyn "Jack" Francisco, age 89, passed away at home in Anchorage, Alaska, surrounded by his beloved family on July 29, 2020. Jack was born at home on Dec. 12, 1930, in Snohomish, Wash., to John Clifford and Blanche Rose (Davidson) Francisco.

After graduating from Marysville High School, Jack joined the Navy and served in the Korean War aboard the USS Reclaimer ARS-42 as an engineman and gunner on a twin fifty receiving several Battle Stars and Citations.

In 1957, Jack's training in diesel mechanics, welding and electricity led to jobs on the gold dredges in Nyac, Alaska, and for various logging and fabrication companies in Washington. In 1964, with the help of a friend, Toni (Wick) York, Jack returned to Alaska to work for Ketchikan Pulp Co. at Thorne Bay. Toni later went home to Ketchikan and this move started a wonderful summertime romance for them, which led to marriage in August 1968 that lasted 52 years until his death.

Jack and his new family moved to Prince of Wales Island for 4 years, where he worked at Tuxekan for H & S Log and ISCO Road Builders, and ISCO at Exchange Cove, and Murphy's Chance in El Capitan Passage.

In 1972, the family moved to Anchorage to enter their twin sons in public school. Jack joined Local 302 of the Operating Engineers and worked on various jobs for Stephan & Sons and Joe's Trucking of Anchorage, on the Alaska Pipeline at Sheep Creek and Old Man camps, at Prudhoe Bay on the North Slope, Kodiak's Terror Lake Dam, the Over the Horizon Radar site at Amchitka, and Bradley Lake Dam near Homer.

After retiring in 1990, Jack enjoyed spending time with his family RV camping and fishing, gardening, golfing and playing pool on a VFW league.

He was preceded in death by his parents; his stepfather, Clifford Gay; and sisters, Sharon (Ken) Peach and Carol (Bill) Atkinson of Washington. He is survived by his wife, Toni; twin sons, Robert A. (Dawn) Francisco of Anchorage and Ronald J. (Hope) Francisco of Michigan; grandchildren, Michael Francisco of Anchorage, Eric (Sarah) Francisco of Santiago, Chile, and Peter (Zhenya), Katie and Gilbert (Keri) Francisco of Michigan; great-grandchildren, Liam, Lilly, Christabelle and Jack, all of Michigan; and numerous nieces, nephews and cousins in Washington. Jack is greatly missed and will forever be in our hearts. At a later date his ashes will be interred at Fort Richardson National Cemetery and scattered over Mount Philchuck in Washington, where Jack stood fire watch as a teenager.