Harry Achziger was called home to the Lord on May 1, 2014. He died suddenly at Skagit Valley Hospital in Mt. Vernon at the age of 89.
Harry Norman Achziger was born May 14, 1924 in Firestone, Colo.
His father, Jacob, was born in Michigan and his mother, Kathryn, came from Russia. Her family immigrated to the United States in 1902 and settled in Michigan.
Harry’s German ancestors were drawn to Russia by Catharine the Great, with the offer of free land and freedom, which was short-lived. Many of the Achziger families found new hope in Colorado.
At the age of 18, Harry Achziger enlisted in the U.S. Navy in Los Angeles, Calif., and was assigned to the U.S.S. Catron for the next two years. The Catron was an attack transport ship launched in 1944. After a period of training in the Solomon Islands, she was sent to the Carolina Islands to load troops for the attack on Okinawa, the last major campaign of the Pacific War. The Catron was involved in troop transfer and movement of Prisoners of War throughout the Pacific.
In 1946, the Catron reported to Pearl Harbor, where she was stripped and became part of “Operation Crossroads,” a planned series of atomic tests at Bikini Atoll.
Harry joined the crew of the Catron as they returned to the states aboard a flat-bottomed LST, a trip that had to be grueling.
Leaving military service in 1948, Harry returned to Colorado and received his GED. He worked at Sears & Roebuck for a time.
Hearing about the GI Bill, Harry toyed with the possibility of taking college classes by mail, but decided to attend Michigan State College. He received his bachelor’s degree and his teaching certificate as a math teacher. While attending college, Harry met a young lady, Caroline, who was to become his bride.
Harry taught in Michigan for a time, but soon returned to Colorado, where he taught at Smiley Junior High School in Denver. He and Caroline purchased a small farm outside Ft. Lupton and he drove to Denver each day to teach. Harry received his masters in psychology and finished his 40-year teaching career in counseling at East High School.
Harry was known for his imaginative teaching style, engaging students through his examples of time travel, mind games, physics problem solving, song and poetry and mastery of the German language.
Years later, he was recognized through a resolution of the Denver School Board for his outstanding contribution to the students of the Denver School District.
Caroline was bothered by the dry climate of Denver, so she and Harry moved to Whidbey Island. He and Caroline enjoyed many years of traveling the U.S.
Caroline died in February 2000. Harry married Phyllis Rollag in 2001 and they enjoyed 13 years together, traveling to many parts of the world. Health issues brought their travels to an end and, for the past year, Harry and Phyllis have been residents of Regency.
Harry is survived by his wife, Phyllis; stepdaughter, Candace Rollag and husband, David Amarelo, and their children, Katherine and Jonathan (Mary); and Phyllis’ son-in-law, John Royce, and his sons, Nicholas, Christopher and Patrick; and by two nieces, Susan Urbytes and Sandra Palmreuter.
He was preceded in death by two brothers and his parents.
Harry was a member of Oak Harbor Lutheran Church.
Memorial services for Harry Achziger were held at the Oak Harbor Lutheran Church on Friday, May 9, 2014, with Pastor Jeff Spencer officiating.
Please visit Harry’s page in the Book of Memories hosted at www.wallinfuneral home.com to share memories and condolences of Harry. Arrangements are entrusted to Wallin Funeral Home & Cremation, LLC, Oak Harbor, Wash.
