Lynn Arthur "Jake" Flitcroft

A memorial service will be held for Lynn Arthur “Jake” Flitcroft, 88, of Coos Bay, at 2 p.m., Saturday, March 24,  at Coos Bay Chapel 685 Anderson Ave., with Pastor Jerry Bertholet of the Bay Area Church of the Nazarene officiating. Jake passed away March 17 at home in Coos Bay surrounded by family and friends. 

Jake was born at a small house in Coquille on May 5, 1929. As a boy, Jake lived in logging camps above Allegany around Millicoma and Gold and Silver Falls. He went to school in a one-room schoolhouse in Allegany; that is now the Allegany Community Church. He acquired the name of Jake by playing the part of “Lame Jake” in a play when he was in 3rd grade. This was during the Great Depression and he would tell stories of the cold, and the challenges of living in hard times. But he also developed a deep appreciation for the rivers and forests that would stay with him through his life. He was in high school during World War II, and deeply wanted to do his part. His older brother, Cecil had already joined the United States Navy as radio gunner and was fighting in the Pacific Theatre. Jake was technically too young, but he left home, had an aunt vouch for his age, and joined the Merchant Marines. He sailed to Australia to supply troops during the war. After the war ended, he came home and went back to high school at Marshfield where he was elected student body president. It was during his tenure that the name of our town changed from Marshfield to Coos Bay. City managers wanted to change the name of the high school too, but Jake, as student body president, put it to a vote of the students. The students voted down the name change, and the high school remained Marshfield.

After high school, Jake married and had three children, Kim, Kit, and Kip. He worked as a logger around Southern Oregon and started his own “gyppo” logging outfit, Clawson and Flitcroft Logging Company. After some years, this marriage ended and Jake decided to see more of the world. He went to work for Gulf Plus Western supplying boats and barges with fuel, or loading and unloading products. At first, he stayed closer to home with work throughout the Alaska Coastline including the Aleutians. As time went by, he traveled further afield with work in Malaysia, Papua New Guinea, Sumatra, Dubai, United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Australia, and Singapore. It was in Singapore that he met the love of his life Iris Patricia “Patti” Hughes. They went on their first date in May 1970, were engaged by July, and married in September. Their two children, Patrick and Rebecca were born in Australia and Singapore, respectively, as Jake and Pat moved around the world. During his time in Singapore in the early 1970’s, Jake started his own company, Flitcroft Towboats Inc. Jake had many ships that sailed in the Persian Gulf, Gulf of Oman, and the Indian Ocean. The family moved to England in the mid 1970’s for a few years before settling down on Oregon’s South Coast in Coos Bay in 1980. After coming back to Coos Bay, Jake sold his businesses intending to start a new venture here. He owned a commercial fishing boat in the early 1980’s for a time. He went back to work with oil boats and barges for his remaining career before retiring.

In his retirement, he dove into woodworking, which had been a hobby for most of his life. He had built furniture but focused now on wooden clocks. His myrtlewood grandfather and grandmother clocks were sold from the Myrtlewood Factory and other outlets in the area. He was known for his delicious strawberry jam, and hearty BBQ’s. He never let anyone leave the house hungry. His friends and family will remember him as a kind man, who was tough, resilient, and determined. He lived every moment of his life, enjoying a few steaks and double martini’s along the way.

He was preceded in death by his mother, Alta Belle; his father, Edward George; his brothers, Marvin and Cecil; and sons, Kip and Patrick.

Cremation rites have been held at Ocean View Memory Gardens, Coos Bay under the direction of Coos Bay Chapel, 541-267-3131.

Friends and family are invited to sign the on-line guest book, share photos and send condolences at www.coosbayareafunerals.com and www.theworldlink.com.

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