Kurt Frender

Obituaries

Born Sept. 12, 1956, in Bremerton, Kurt Frender died March 25, 2018. Frender called the Central Kitsap region home. He graduated from Bremerton High School in 1975. Early on in his career he was an emergency response medic at Central Kitsap Fire Station 41 as well as an ambulance driver and medic at the now closed Silverdale Speedway.

Frender worked at the Bremerton Naval Shipyard over 30 years, which gave him much joy, retiring young at 55. His time as a machinist was cut short by an accident that caused him to fall onto a dry dock. After he recovered from the fall, Frender moved to the transportation division and for years did bus runs as well as driving a fuel tanker. 

He was recognized by his co-workers as a person with great respect for safety.

Unfortunately, all the hardworking years at the shipyard left Frender with terminal lung disease. He had many hopes and dreams about where he wanted to work once he retired from the shipyard. Sadly, he died before those dreams could come to fruition.

Frender was well loved and had many close friends who shared time with him in his last days. Special thanks to Michele Christianson, a massage therapist who kept his back and body flexible enough to walk; Scott Nell, Laura LaTray, Jeff Kaiser, Jody and Richard Marshall, and Nanci and Anna Cochrane for their love and support.

He was preceded in death by his father and mother, Robert and Shirley, and his brother, Terry. He leaves behind his loving wife, Judy Harmon; son, Jesse LaTray; brother and sister-in-law, Bob and Dee Frender; sisters, Shelley Lindal and Linda Parks; a few special people he called daughters, many nieces and nephews; and three special people who will always call him Grandpa.