October 29, 1922 – March 2, 2017
David G. Blattner, age 94, departed this world surrounded by his family following a brief hospice in Marie Rose at Mary’s Woods of Lake Oswego, Oregon. David was a husband, father, grandfather and great grandfather. He was an accomplished engineer and designer, a proud veteran of WWII, a craftsman, a sailor, a hiker and lifelong learner.
David was born in New York City in 1922, the oldest son of David and Dorothy Blattner of Mountain Lakes, NJ. He had two younger siblings, brother Donald Blattner of Princeton, NJ and sister Doris Wilson of Black Mountain, NC. All of the foregoing family predeceased David.
David had a brilliant mind and a curious spirit. Both served him well throughout his life. He was a voracious reader who graduated with honors and was valedictorian of his high school class of 1940. His studies at MIT were interrupted in 1942 by four years of service with the Army Corps of Engineers in France and Okinawa theaters. David was honorably discharged in 1946 with the rank of lieutenant. He then returned to MIT and graduated in 1947.
In 1949 David bought a Mercury Zephyr Convertible but did not have a garage to protect it from the harsh NJ weather. He asked a nearby neighbor, Charles Steinway, if he could rent one of Steinway’s unused garages for the Mercury. Monetary rent was refused due to David’s veteran status, but use of the garage was enthusiastically granted. Shortly thereafter, Mr. Steinway introduced David to his daughter Doretta (“Deets”) and a romance soon followed. David and Deets were married in September, 1951 and settled in Syracuse, NY. Their first son Nicholas was born there in 1953.
In 1955, David and Deets took a car trip to Seattle for their summer vacation. They fell in love with the Pacific North West instantly and moved to Des Moines, WA later that year. Their second son Christopher was born in Seattle in June of 1956. The family moved to Mercer island in 1963 into a house that David designed. That house became the Blattner family compound for the next 35 years.
David was hired by Boeing Company in 1955 as an aeronautical engineer and worked for that company for the next 27 years. He was well respected by his fellow engineers and management as a creative and detailed problem solver. His work product and time commitment to Boeing was legendary. He retired in June of 1981. Thereafter, David volunteered time as a tax preparer for seniors, learned to use a computer and started a 30+ year tradition of extended summer vacations with his family in Sunriver and Black Butte Ranch in central Oregon. During these trips he would ride his bike over 120 miles a week.
David was a lifelong sailor. He built his first boat as a boy growing up in NJ and loved being on the water for the rest of his life. Many boats followed including dinghies, keelboats, outboard waterski boats, and motor yachts. He was active in the sailboat racing scene and spent summers with his family cruising the San Juan islands. His last boat was a sailboard which he learned to sail in his 70’s.
David is survived by his wife of 65 years, Doretta, his two sons Nick and Chris, their wives Renee and Cindy McCann, grandsons Brent and Nicholas, their wives Julia and Monique and great grandchildren Ella and Charlie.
David’s family extends heartfelt thanks to the staff and many caregivers at Marie Rose who showed their love for David through years of devoted service, humor and understanding. The family also extends its gratitude and appreciation to the Serenity Hospice team for their amazing care and support of David and his family during his hospice care.
A celebration of life service will be held in the Chapel at Mary’s Woods on April 1, 2017 at 2 PM. Please come join us and share your memories and stories of this remarkable man. In lieu of flowers please consider a donation to the US Sailing Association ussailing.org or portlandhonorflight.org
