John 'Jack' Freitag
John "Jack" Freitag spent many years serving the people of Washington in the banking industry and leaves behind a large and loving family who will miss him greatly.
John Joseph “Jack” Freitag, 88, a long-time resident of both Lewis and Grant counties in Washington, passed away of natural causes Oct. 27, 2023, at his home in Lacey, Wash. Jack was born April 8, 1935, to Alfred Joseph Freitag and his wife, the former Lyla Josephine Robin, on Puget Island, Wash.
Jack graduated from Cathlamet High School and attended the University of Washington where he received a bachelor’s degree in political science. During his time as a student, he worked both as a volunteer firefighter for the city of Cathlamet and as a driver on the Columbia River local Log Boom. It was during this time that he met and married the former Arlene Wilma Bottorff from Longview, Wash. After graduation, Jack and Arlene relocated to the Capitol Hill area in Seattle where he accepted a position as a loan officer with Seattle-First National Bank. In 1971, after the birth of Jack and Arlene’s only son, they relocated to the banks of the Chehalis River in Chehalis, Wash. where he began working in the loan department of Security State Bank. There, he rose to the position of Executive Vice President and was integral in the bank's Morton and South Market expansion branches.
During his time in Chehalis, he also served as president of the Lewis County Republicans, and as a delegate to then-presidential candidate Gerald R. Ford in the 1976 presidential election. Additionally, Jack served as an elected member of the Lewis County District School board for several years.
In 1985 Jack relocated to Moses Lake, Wash. where he once again worked for the Seattle-First Bank loan department. During his time in Moses Lake, he also served as Executive Vice President for Columbia Basin Federal Credit Union and as a Certified Water Rights Examiner for Grant County, Wash.
Jack was well known, loved, and admired in all communities in which he lived and served and will be deeply missed. He adored his family, grandchildren and great-grandchildren and is survived by his son, John Eric Freitag of Chehalis, Wash.; daughter-in-law, the former Angela R. Ross of Gruver, Texas; granddaughters, Jessica McClain of Shoreline, Wash., Jennifer and Christine Freitag of San Diego, Calif.; and great-grandchildren, Wyatt Chris and Aurelia Rose McClain of Shoreline, Wash. and Sister Jill Feuchter of Doty/Dryad, Wash.
A private celebration of life will be held in Shoreline, Washington at a date yet to be determined.
In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to the Washington State Alzheimer’s Association. www.alz.org/alzwa