Jonathan Hancock

Jonathan E. Hancock, 67, of Seattle, died March 3, 2025 in Seattle, WA.

He was born in November 1957 to John H. “Jack” and Starr B. Hancock in Salem, OR. 

Jon graduated from Salem Academy in 1976, and from Portland State University in 1980 with a bachelor’s degree in Business Administration.  

He began his career in Salem at J.C. Penney before moving to Seattle in 1985 to work in purchasing for The Bon Marche and later in contract administration at Group Health Cooperative.  He then spent the remainder of his career at Boeing, primarily on major structures procurement, and traveled often to work with teams and suppliers in China, Japan and Korea.  After 27 years at Boeing, Jon retired in June 2024.

He was a man of many and varied hobbies.  Both an avid sportsman and patron of the performing arts, he was equally at home on the water fishing and in the symphony hall.  He loved woodworking, but more than that he was a builder in a broader sense: he loved to problem solve until he got something just right.  Travel was another passionate pursuit.  Jon traveled extensively in Europe, Asia, and Africa multiple times over the years, and most recently visited Australia.  And everywhere he went, he had to buy a book (or many) to bring back home.  He looked forward to a retirement season full of his favorite pursuits that ended much too soon.

Jon is survived by his long-term partner Susan Yang, daughter Alison (Daniel) Smith, siblings Joel (Germa) Hancock, Mary (Dave) Hafner, Sarah (Stan) Herr, many nieces and nephews, and two grandchildren. He leaves us all a legacy of what it looks like to be an explorer, hardworking, and full of faith.

He was preceded in death by his parents, Jack and Starr Hancock. 

A memorial service will be held at 10 am Saturday March 15, 2025 in the chapel at Bethany Community Church Green Lake. 

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Bethany Community Church or Mercy Corps.