Timothy J. Ooyman

Timothy (Tim) Jay Ooyman, our beloved husband, father, grandfather, brother and friend, unexpectedly left our earth to be with his Lord in heaven on June 3 rd , 2019 at the age of 66. Tim was born in Cherry Point, North Carolina on June 4 th , 1952 to parents John, a Lieutenant Commander in the Navy and wife Audrey Ooyman. Growing up in a military family, Tim and his brother Gary were fortunate to live in several places across the United States, including Hawaii, Washington and California.

At a very early age Tim always had an inquisitive mind and curiosity about how things worked. When he was just two, he found a bobby pin and put it into an outlet to see what would happen and was introduced to the power of electricity; a fascination that later developed into a successful career. As a teenager Tim attended Alameda High School in the Bay Area. He was a starter on the football team, nicknamed “the Cobra” because he was the smallest center in the league, displaying extraordinary speed and agility. On evenings and weekends when school and practice were not in session, you could find Tim playing the drums with his rock band. In high school, Tim also met Lonnie Soma, who would later become his wife.

After high school, Tim attended Cal-Poly University, majoring in electrical engineering. While still attending school at Cal- Poly, Tim married his high school sweetheart, Lonnie, in Mexico. Upon graduation, Tim was recruited by GE to be trained as an electrical engineer, and he moved Lonnie and his newborn son Fletcher to Schenectady, NY so he could attend their exclusive school. Later he was recruited to the oil fields of Bakersfield, CA where he managed dozens of oil rigs. After Bakersfield, Tim took his career to the sea, working as a global positioning expert on oil exploration ships working all over the world. At that time, Tim and Lonnie moved their family to Kneeland, California and welcomed their daughter, Christa in 1980.

When Lonnie tragically passed away from breast cancer in 1984, Tim quit his job at sea to become a full-time father to his kids. In 1995, Tim married Anne and became a father to her two young boys, Loren and Matt. They settled into their Issaquah home and Tim continued his career as an electrical engineer and later, project manager for a Fortune 500 company. To keep busy in retirement, Tim flipped houses, became a real-estate agent and was a grandfather to six beautiful grandchildren.

Tim had a deep-rooted passion for mountain climbing and hiking, often sharing his love for the outdoors with family and friends. Prior to marrying Anne, he accomplished a lifelong dream – climbing El Capitan in Yosemite National Park. Other favorite climbs included Mt. Whitney, Mt. Rainier, Mt. Baker and many other mountains in the Cascades. Tim also discovered another purpose in life – a relationship with Jesus Christ. Becoming a Christian was the most important turning point in his life. As a result of that, his new purpose on earth was to share the truth about Jesus with anyone who would listen. This often led Tim to Downtown Seattle, where he would share his love of the gospel with passersby.

We remember Tim for being a natural conversationalist. He had a true gift of making instant connections with others, leaving a lasting impression on their lives even after just one conversation. This is because he loved to laugh and find common ground with whomever he was speaking with. In the end, he always made a new friend. He had a brilliant mind and was the ultimate engineer who could troubleshoot and fix anything. He was an incredible husband and father who loved to bring laughter and humor into the household (or toward any unsuspecting target) through his pranks and jokes. He also cherished quality time spent with his family, which often meant taking adventures outdoors, including boat camping to remote destinations. Tim was generous with his gifts and talents, always making him himself available to help others. Many could say he was the most genuine person you met.

Tim left an imprint on the hearts of so many and will be missed greatly by his wife Anne, brother Gary (Mary), children Fletcher, Christa (Joe), Loren (Taryn), Matt (Daisy), grandchildren Blake, Mackay, Lonnie, Jack, Alexa, Reggie and his four-legged best friend Duke.

In lieu of flowers, remembrances can be made in Tim’s name to the following charities below.

American Foundation for Suicide Prevention- Tim Ooyman Memorial Fund

Seattle’s Union Gospel Mission online , by mail or phone. We kindly ask that you include a notation in
memory of Tim Ooyman and request to send your donation notification to Tim’s wife Anne at

By Mail:
Seattle’s Union Gospel Mission
P.O. Box 202
Seattle, WA 98111-0202

By Phone: Donor Relations (206) 723-0767 ext.428