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 Obituary Tributes
Rodney "Rod" Charles Kittelson passed away peacefully at Overlake Hospital on June 16, 2017 in Bellevue, WA at the age of 73. He was born in Seattle, Washington on November 1, 1943 to Clarence and Julia Kittelson. Raised in the Wallingford neighborhood of Seattle where he attended Lincoln High School and graduated in 1962. Rod went on to build a career in the housing construction industry in the greater Seattle area. He then met his love Judy and married her on December 7, 1978, and together lived a happy life raising a blended family of five children.
Rod had a quick wit and infectious sense of humor. An avid reader with the passion to read about history with an emphasis on World War II, he would amaze us with the facts he'd recite from memory. He loved his family and will be greatly missed.
He is survived by his loving wife of 39 years, Judy Kittelson, daughters Valerie (Bill) Klodaski, Michelle (Dave) Kast, and sons Brian Kittelson, Jeffery (Kim) Johnson, Matthew Johnson, and 11 grandchildren: Jessica, McKenzie, Spencer, Billy, Jordan, Tristan, Zachary, Julia, Miyeko, Kimora, and Hiroshi. He is also survived by his sister Merita (Jerry) Tuck, and brother Curtis (LuAnn) Kittelson, and was adored and loved by his nieces and nephews.
Family and friends are invited to attend a Celebration of Life for Rod, which is scheduled on Saturday, July 8, 2017 from 2:00 - 5:00 pm. Please contact the family for details.
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Bob "Bobbe" Garcia
Happy Birthday in Heaven, Rod. RIP..
Ed Rasmussen
I remember Rod as being the trustworthy and ambitious sort. Rod worked at Stinkers gas station (N.E. of Lincoln High on the North side of NE 45th St) as the station's attendant (after-school-hours job) pumping gas and doing minor auto repairs. I also remember his infectious smile. He was a fine young hard-working man then as I'm certain he was for the rest of his life. Rod Kittelson was deffinitely one of the good guys.
Steve Cottle
Rod was one of my friends that enjoyed sharing stories and information. I remember him as a problem solver and was thinking of alternate ways of doing something. He most always had a smile and something to say, and willing to help. RIP Rod.
Roger Peterson
Rod,
RIP Rodney. You and I did the whole public school drill together, Interlake, Hamilton and Lincoln. During grade school classes when we celebrated our birthdays with sweets and fun, you were always the first person of the year to be feted. Being born on November 1, you were always the oldest kid in class, as those born on Oct 31, or early were placed in the grade a year ahead of us. Saddly, I remember you were badly burned during a Cub/Boy Scout outing during our time at Interlake. I seem to remember someone dropped/knocked over a Coleman lantern and your clothing caught fire. You were out of school for several months, but came back with a smile on your face, and didn't allow your injuries to slow you down.
Ed mentioned that you worked at the Stinker Station at 45th and Corliss. He may not have known that your industrious endeavors started earlier than the Stinker job. Fred Gierke, you, and I all were Seattle Times paper carriers out of the paper shack located immediately behind the Stinker Station. I believe we were in the sixth grade when we all started with our carrier jobs. Ed also mentioned you worked on cars. We both know you had to figure out how to work on cars, as one of the first ones you owned was a well used Jaguar XK120 roadster. Owning a Jag of that era demanded major mechanical skill sets.
We cultivated a different set of friends once we arrived at Lincoln. People do that. But I will always remember you. Coincidently, your name and Fred's came up in a conversation with my wife only two days prior to your obit showing up on our Lincoln '62 web site. We were reliving our youth, and you were part of it.
Say hello to our other classmates that have proceeded you. Goodbye my friend.
Roger