Bev Werschkul

In early November of 2021 I moved from Olympia to Franke Tobey Jones  to be closer to my daughter in Gig Harbor.  It was an easy transition back to a city I had known since I was a child, with an abundance of relatives close to my heart. Several lived in the North End, and I remember FTJ from an early age.

In 1924, the year that FTJ opened, my maternal grandfather was working for the Northern Pacific Railroad.  My paternal great-grandfather, Tom Harvey, and grandfather, Bill Sherman, were working for the Tacoma Fire Department in 1924.  Tom’s career spanned over thirty-five years, first driving horse-drawn steam fire engines and then driving the first motorized fire engines. Bill worked for the Fire Department for his entire career and in 1931 became the second captain of the Tacoma Fire Boat #1, which had been commissioned in 1929 and is now dry-docked on Ruston Way.

My mother and father grew up in Tacoma.  They and their four siblings all attended Lincoln High School and, despite all the odds, received their degrees at (C)UPS between 1929 and 1936.

My great-grandparents, Tom and Nora Harvey, had grand touring cars in the 1920’s and very nice cars thereafter, and for many decades delighted in Sunday drives and trips.  In the 40’s and 50’s, tours with my grandparents included visits to Point Defiance Park and learning about the beautiful FTJ campus. Even as a child, I was struck by the beautiful architecture and never forgot it.  It was certainly providence that my far-fetched dream to live on this lovely campus came true, and I am now delighted to call the 100 year-old Tobey Jones building my home.

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