John Harry Woodman
December 10, 1942 - November 22, 2023
Obituary
John Harry Woodman, born on December 10, 1942, in Everett, Washington, and raised in Seattle’s Mt. Baker neighborhood, passed away on November 22, 2023. He leaves behind a legacy of family, entrepreneurship, and community service.
John graduated from Franklin High School in 1961. He spent his childhood summers on Bainbridge Island in the Wing Point neighborhood, where he met his future wife, Barbara Jo Kelleran. Their love and partnership began at the age of 16, leading to 58 years of marriage.
He attended Washington State University and was an SAE Fraternity member, John joined his father at Washington Equipment Company in 1962. His visionary leadership transformed it into Washington Alarm, a successful and nationally recognized company he led until his retirement in 2012, passing the reins to his daughter, Shannon.
John and Barbara married in 1965 and settled on Bainbridge Island in 1966, where they raised their two daughters, Kelly and Shannon. His passions included golfing at Wing Point Country Club, boating, fishing, and spending time at his San Juan Island home. It was here, at the Cabin, where he spent many happy hours on the water, in his tractor filled barn and with his grandchildren. John’s commitment to the alarm industry and various organizations was consistent and spanned his many years as a Seattle business leader. He was a 30-year member and past president of the Seattle Executives Association, a founder and board member of both NetOne and the Washington Alarm Association, and a 35-year member and board member of The Monitoring Association.
John is survived by his wife, Barbara; daughters, Kelly Ann Esterberg and Shannon Woodman; and four grandchildren: Sydney and Peter Esterberg, Payton and Campbell Habel-Woodman.
John was larger than life and his absence will be deeply felt by many and his life was a testament to dedication, both in his personal and professional spheres.
In lieu of flowers, the family kindly requests a donation to either the American Macular Degeneration Foundation (https://www.macular.org) or the Security Industry Alarm Coalition (https://siacinc.org/donate/).
