Robert “Bob” A. WRAITH
Born on January 27, 1933, Bob passed away at home in the arms of his family on January 26, 2009 following a courageous 15 year battle with non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma. Bob was a beloved and devoted husband, father, grandfather, and great grandfather. He was a long time teacher and football and basketball coach at Renton High School.
Bob attended South Kitsap High School and graduated from Valley City (ND) State University. He served in the Air Force in the Korean War and later in the Army Reserve. He was a Drill Sergeant and was especially proud of his service in the 12th Special Forces Group (Airborne). Bob spent most of his 30 year teaching career at Renton High School before retiring in 1989. He coached football at Renton from 1964 to 1986 and was an assistant coach on Renton’s back-to-back State championship basketball teams in 1966 and 1967. Bob later coached football at Mercer Island High School from 2003-2007 and Juanita High School in 2008.
Bob leaves behind his loving wife of 55 years, Signe; his three children Steve (Jane) Wraith, Shannon (Peter) Van Oppen, and Michelle (Larry) Greene; his grandchildren Stephanie and Ben Wraith, Ross Dillingham, John, Dorothy, Lizzy and Mark Van Oppen, and Tiffany, Patrick and Rosie Griffus; and his great grandchildren Donavin, Haley, Alex, and Alissa.
A service in Celebration of Bob’s Life will be held at 3:00 on Friday, February 20, 2009 at St. Andrews Lutheran Church, 2650 148th Ave. SE, Bellevue, with a gathering to follow. Interment at Tahoma National Cemetery. Memorial contributions may be made to the Dr. Henry Kaplan Research Fund (Swedish Cancer Institute), 1221 Madison St., Suite 200, Seattle.