Obituary of Joseph Wittemann Nathans

Joseph Wittemann Nathans succumbed to the complications of prostate cancer on Sunday, April 24, 2022, after a courageous battle over five years. He died peacefully at home in Arlington, Washington, with his wife and daughters at his side. In lieu of flowers, please consider making donations to the Fred Hutch Cancer Research Center, an alliance with SCCA and UW Medical Center Contact Us (fredhutch.org). Viewing for friends and family will be held on Saturday, April 30, 2 pm – 4 pm. The Celebration of Life (funeral) for Joe is scheduled for Tuesday, May 3, at 11 am at Beck’s Tribute Center and will be live streamed for those who live afar. See the web site for links. Please send your anecdotal stories in a Word document directly to Joe’s wife, Kathy, at kat.nathans@comcast.net, by Monday, May 2. The family will read them aloud at the Tuesday service. You may also post a story here at the tribute wall to share. A dedicated dad, Joe encouraged his girls’ interests in musical theater, soccer, basketball, rowing, horseback riding, and higher education. Joe was a loving husband and partner who made life an adventure with never-ending possibilities. Joe was a consummate optimist who viewed his illness as an inconvenience. He thrived on challenge. Just say the word, and Joe would be on board to tackle a problem and envision solutions. (Joe Nathans – Next Level ). Joe attributes his acumen for math to his dad, David, and his entrepreneurial spirit to his grandfather, Charles Wittemann, a pioneer in aviation who served as federal aviation advisor under President Woodrow Wilson (Charles Wittemann). Joe was a voracious reader of Clancy and Cussler novels when he wasn’t reading a technical journal. Joe’s analytical skills enabled him to bridge the worlds of business decision-making, accounting, and information technology in ways that excited others. His entrepreneurial spirit led him to launch the National Identity Protection Bureau with a close colleague, Ed Etzel, in 2004, and he eventually sold the business to join Tatum Partners, Seattle, an executive consulting firm. In the early days of cybersecurity scares, Joe plunged into the unknown as a NextLevel partner (formerly Tatum) to enable businesses to develop response plans in the event of a cyber-attack. Known to everyone as “Joe,” he was a natural mentor, quick to acknowledge the contributions of others over himself. He joined the Rotary Club while living in Mukilteo. Circa 2006, he spearheaded projects for the Lynnwood Chamber of Commerce as a contributing board member and president. Joe grew up near Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Joe loved outdoor sports. At age 8, he learned to sail his first Sunfish. By age 10, he took up downhill skiing. Joe was an accomplished musician who played trombone and piano. He graduated in 1973 from his beloved Churchill High School where he ran cross country and stirred up entrepreneurial projects as president for the marching band and Jazz Ensemble. Joe blended his passion for science with accounting as an undergraduate at Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh. Later, in 1979, he graduated with honors from the rigorous MBA program in Industrial Administration. He successfully earned his CPA credentials and immediately went to work as an auditor for Arthur Andersen, Pittsburgh. Joe married Kathleen Hawkins, high school business teacher, in 1980. Joe and Kathy bought their first sailboat together, an 18-foot Hobie catamaran in 1981, and sailed it for years on Lakes Moraine, Huron, and Candlewood and in the saltwater bays of Rehoboth, Delaware. Joe found peace and focus on the water. Joe’s final adventure took him to Kinsale, Ireland, for Christmas 2021, where he walked the Cliffs of Mohr, explored Blarney Castle, and enjoyed many a “pint” of Guinness at the local pubs with his daughters’ fiancés, Connor and David. Joe is survived by his wife, Kathy of 42 years, his daughters, Lisa of Silver Spring, Maryland, and Jen of Ballard, Washington, and younger brother, Mark, of Gilbert, Arizona.