Einar Fosness

Einar Joseph Fosness passed away in Hobart, Washington on May 20, 2026, at the age of 86.

He was born on July 5, 1939, in Barton North Dakota to Ole and Marie Fosness. Einar was the youngest of 11 children.

He attended elementary school at rural Norman #3, west of Barton, and 6th grade at Bannerschool. He finished the remainder of grade school and high school in Barton, graduating in1957.

Einar’s dedication to hard work began at a very young age. At 12 years old he began working for local farmers followed by working at the grain elevators during his teenage years. After graduating high school, he enlisted in the United States Army in 1957. He completed his basic training at Fort Chaffie, Arkansas and Fort Polk, Louisiana. After basic training he was stationed at Fort Bliss, Texas; Fort Dix, New Jersey; and Stuttgart, Germany. In 1958, he was sent to Beirut, Lebanon followed by New Ulm, Germany before being honorably discharged at Fort Sheridan, Illinois on June 9, 1959.

After completing his military service, he returned to North Dakota for a short time before moving to Washington. He went to work for Boeing in June 1961, where he was an assembler/installer and a member of the machinist union. He retired from Boeing in 2004 after 43 years. In all those years, other than vacation time, Einar never missed a day of work.

Einar eventually made his home in Hobart, Washington where he made many friends who he considered an extension of his family.

Einar enjoyed bluegrass and country western music. He learned to play the guitar while in high school. In his younger days, Einar enjoyed skiing, fishing, and traveling. One of his favorite places was Nashville, Tennessee.

Einar’s siblings talked about how he was filled with pranks and mischief but was also known to be a quiet, reserved, deep thinker and a curious man.

He enjoyed greeting his friends at the Hobart Food Market near his home and was recently memorialized as their “long-time bench warmer”. Einar would tell his friends his real talent was storytelling. He loved to share stories and tell jokes. He treasured the special attention he received at the birthday celebrations the community threw for him each year.

He was a proud member of the Hobart Community Church.

Einar was preceded in death by his parents Ole and Marie Fosness; his brothers Harold, Peter, Ole and Norman, and his sisters Virginia LaFleur, Gladys Isaacson, Dorothy Gronvold, Lilly Olsen, Mae Metcalfe, and Elsie Arends.

He is survived by many nieces, nephews, friends and sister-in-law Elaine Fosness.

Services will be held in Hobart, Washington on June 26th, 2026 and a celebration of his life in Barton, ND at a later date.

Published by The Pierce County Tribune, June 20, 2026.