Carl Albert Johannes

Capt. Carl Albert Johannes

January 10, 1937 — August 16, 2023 (age 86)

Capt. Carl Johannes, known and loved for his kindness, loyalty, generosity and humor, passed away from cancer on August 16, 2023, in Seattle, with his wife and daughter by his side.

He was the son of Arsham and Phyllis Johannes and brother of Julian Johannes. He was preceded in death by his parents, brother, and his first wife Martha Fringer Johannes, who was the mother of his two children. He is survived by his wife Karin Jacobs Johannes, son Michael Johannes, daughter Katie Johannes Skipper, son-in-law Jason Skipper, granddaughter Josie Skipper, and stepdaughter Patria Jacobs.

Carl was born among the Armenian community in Jolfa, Iran. He spent the first five years of his life in India, where his father was a British Customs Officer. He and Julian attended a British boarding school in the Himalayas. The family returned to England, near Wimbledon, where he spent the rest of his childhood. He was a skilled soccer player and fondly recalled singing in the Church of England boys’ choir and participating in the Boys’ Brigade.

He attended the Southampton School of Navigation (now Warsash Maritime School at Solent University) in the UK, to pursue a career as a maritime captain and his passion for the sea. Upon graduating at age 18, Carl immigrated to the United States. Delighted by the availability of fresh orange juice, he enjoyed a glass at every stop along the bus ride west across the country to meet his parents and brother in California.

He served as an officer in the U.S. Navy and Merchant Marine. On his birthday in 1969, the ship he was working on was docked in Baltimore. He went ashore to have a drink at a bar where he met Martha. They married 56 days later and were deeply in love and inseparable for 38 years.

Carl and Martha started their married lives together in Southern California. After their son was born, they moved to Honolulu, where Carl was a Civil Service pilot, working for the Navy at Pearl Harbor. Their daughter was born, and the family spent five more years in Hawaii before moving to Virginia Beach. Carl worked as a pilot for U.S. Naval Station Norfolk for three years. In 1981, he moved his family west again, this time to Bainbridge Island, Washington. He worked at Naval Submarine Base Bangor for most of the 1980s before becoming a Puget Sound Pilot. In 1997, after their kids were grown, Carl and Martha moved to Seattle. Carl retired from the Puget Sound Pilots 10 years later at age 70.

Carl and Martha adopted the snowbird lifestyle in 2005, enjoying the warm weather of Cathedral City, California, during the winter months. He and his children were devastated by Martha’s passing just two years later.

But Carl was among the lucky few people to find true love twice in a lifetime. He met Karin in 2008 when a walking group meet-up turned into a blind date. Mysteriously, only Carl and Karin showed up for the scheduled walk after a mutual friend suggested they meet each other.

Carl and Karin married February 15, 2015, and, as Carl liked to say, they were “attached at the hip.” They spent most of the year at their home in Palm Desert but made it back to Seattle most summers. Carl and Karin enjoyed dancing, traveling and visiting family and friends together.

He and Karin held their granddaughter, Josie, on the day she was born. Josie loved her Pop Pop for his goofiness and hugs and will especially miss seeing him at her ballet performances and Christmas dinners.

One of Carl’s favorite routines was pouring himself a Moscow Mule and watching the “NBC Nightly News.” He loved a good steak, preferably with a baked potato and all the fixings.

He started voicemails to his two adult children with, “It’s your dad,” a pronouncement that made them both smile, and now reduces them both to tears.

Carl was equal parts perfect gentleman and inappropriate jokester to the very end of his life. He thanked every nurse and doctor who helped him and made them laugh just hours before his death.

Carl’s life was long, well-lived and full of love. His passing leaves a huge hole in our hearts.

A service to honor Carl’s memory is Tuesday, September 5, at 11 a.m. at the Holy Resurrection Armenian Apostolic Church, 11505 Redmond-Woodinville Road, Redmond, WA 98052. A graveside ceremony and reception will follow at 1:30 p.m. at Lake View Cemetery, 1554 15th Ave. E., Seattle, WA 98102.

In lieu of flowers, Carl’s family suggests donating to one of the following organizations in his name:

· Youth Maritime Training Association

· Seattle Seafarers Center

· Fred Hutch Cancer Center

Please share memories, photos, & condolences on his Tribute Wall, located above.

- Arrangements Entrusted to Emmick Funeral Home Lake View -