June 2009

This In Memoriam section contains brief obituaries of WSBA members. The list is not complete and contains only those notices that the WSBA has learned of through newspapers, magazine articles, trade publications, and correspondence. Additional notices will appear in subsequent issues of Bar News. Please e-mail notices or personal remembrances to inmemoriam@wsba.org.

Barnard, Delbert J. "Del"  

Del Barnard graduated from Oregon State College and earned his J.D. at American University Washington College of Law. He practiced in intellectual property law in Seattle for 48 years. He was a nationally recognized and respected attorney of patent law. Barnard was known for his integrity, generosity, and sense of humor. In 1968, he was awarded Father of the Year through the greater University Chambers of Commerce.

Del Barnard died January 25, 2009, at the age of 74.

Beeson, John C.

John Beeson graduated from the University of Puget Sound School of Law. He founded Beeson Co., a bonding and insurance company, where he worked for 40 years. He was a competitive sailor, avid basketball fan, and had a passion for thoroughbred horses. He generously helped and supported countless people in need throughout his life.

John Beeson died October 22, 2008, at the age of 71.

Bullitt, Charles Stimson

Charles Stimson "Stim" Bullitt was an author, judge, outdoorsman, urban developer, and broadcasting executive. He attended Yale University and the UW School of Law. He served in the Navy during World War II and was awarded the Purple Heart. In 1961, Bullitt became president of KING-TV. In 1972, Bullitt founded Harbor Properties, Inc., a Seattle development firm. As an attorney, he was known for his work on environmental and human-rights causes. He loved nature and outdoor physical activities and was known as a legend among rock climbers.

Charles Stimson Bullitt died April 19, 2009, at the age of 89.

Cook, James W.

Jim Cook joined the Naval Reserves at the age of 17 and served for seven years. He received his law degree from the UW School of Law and practiced as corporate counsel for 35 years at several firms and companies.

James Cook died April 2, 2009, at the age of 71.

Creighton, Gordon

Gordon Creighton, born in Yakima and raised in Seattle, graduated from the UW School of Law. He served two years in Korea in the Army after high school. At the UW, he was a ROTC cadet colonel. He was active in Republican politics in the 1960s and 1970s. He had a private general practice for 45 years in Seattle, Bellevue, and Redmond.

Gordon Creighton died March 16, 2009, at the age of 80.

Dunlap, Richard J.
A remembrance by his daughter Debora Dunlap

Richard Dunlap rose from nothing to be a self-made man. Serving in the U.S. Army was one of his greatest privileges and experiences. Attending the Army language school and learning five languages before specializing in Russian was a feat he was very proud of. Dick attended the UW School of Law on the G.I. bill. He practiced law in downtown Seattle for 49 years.

I had the privilege of his mentoring all my life and as a lawyer for 12 years. I have had the privilege of meeting all in this profession from court reporters to lawyers, judges, clerks, bailiffs, courthouse security, doctors, and law-firm staff who worked with and encountered Dick and said nothing but admirable things about his trial lawyer skills, professionalism, and outspoken and unique character. To this day, when I am asked if I am his daughter, people take the time to tell me an admirable and entertaining tale about my father. And those outside our profession — with whom he did business, ate at their restaurants, etc. — always freely say similar admirable things about him. I had the privilege of going to trial with him at the defense table in a wrongful death case and in a major collision accident case. I had the privilege of watching and listening to him work with doctors, lawyers, staff, experts, and people from all walks of life — all of whom he always treated equally and with the utmost respect, and to whom he was a man of his word. He was the old-school gentleman lawyer who cannot be found everywhere.

Other lawyers and I had the privilege of working alongside him and learning lawyer and business skills, case management, people skills, and an untold number of personal interests from him. He was an insatiable reader and constant student of a wide variety of subjects — history, wars, gardening, chess, birds, and photography. The houses where I have lived all have rhododendron bushes hand-picked by him. He is a big part of who I am today, what type of practice I have, and how I work as a lawyer. He will be missed but not forgotten.

Richard Dunlap died September 26, 2008, at the age of 79.

Eaton, Janet L.

Janet Eaton, a Montana native, received her law degree from the University of Missouri at Kansas City. She joined the firm of Schroeter, Goldmark, and Bender in 1979 as one of their first female attorneys. She devoted her life to raising her two children, while serving occasionally as an arbitrator in King and Snohomish county courts. She wrote about her life in Mukilteo in her widely read blog, "Mukilteo Musings."

Janet Eaton died March 15, 2009, at the age of 56.

Eide, Donald A.

Judge Donald Eide served in the Navy. He earned his J.D. from the UW School of Law while working for Boeing. He worked for the King County Prosecutor's Office for several years before going into private practice. Judge Eide was elected to the then Aukeen District Court in 1970. He served with distinction until his retirement in 1994, having been elected King County District Court presiding judge, and as president of the Washington State District and Municipal Court Judges Association. Judge Eide also taught nationally at the National Judicial College in Reno, Nevada. An avid outdoorsman, he hiked, camped, fished, boated, biked, and loved to walk.

The Honorable Donald Eide died April 9, 2009, at the age of 77.

Howard, William E.

Judge William "Bill" Howard started as a teacher, realized his calling was the law, and graduated from the UW School of Law in 1967. He worked in the Washington State Attorney General's Office and then moved to Port Townsend, where he was elected prosecuting attorney. In 1982, he was appointed as Jefferson County's first full-time Superior Court judge. Judge Howard presided over hundreds of cases, where he earned a reputation as a thoughtful, thorough, and independent jurist. In 1987, he ruled in State v. Boland that evidence seized from the suspect's garbage bags awaiting pick-up was not allowed under the state of Washington's Constitution. The case was appealed to the State Supreme Court and his decision was upheld. The Boland case remains active case law in Washington today. He and his wife were active international humanitarians who served causes in Africa, Central America, and locally.

The Honorable William Howard died February 9, 2009, at the age of 70.

Hunter of Montlaw, David H.

David Hunter of Montlaw was an attorney whose avocation was the researching of old Scottish grants and matriculations of coats-of-arms: he became widely known for his expertise on medieval Scottish arms. Born Paul David Hovey, he adopted his mother's maiden name and mischievously assumed the territorial title "of Montlaw." He was a skilled craftsman and produced heraldic displays in a variety of media. He was a court commissioner for the Thurston County Superior Court.

David Hunter of Montlaw died December 21, 2008, at the age of 45.

Ishikawa, Richard M.

To many Asian-American lawyers, Judge Richard Ishikawa was a pioneer. He was born in 1932 in Seattle. During World War II, his family was interned at Camp Minidoka in Idaho. After their release, the family settled in Spokane, where Judge Ishikawa attended Gonzaga University School of Law. He served in the JAG Corps with the U.S. Army. He had trouble finding work as a lawyer in Seattle in the early 1960s and eventually found work as a bailiff, then prosecutor, and then in private practice. In 1979, he was the first Japanese-American elected to the bench in Washington. He retired in 2000, only to return to the court as a judge pro tem three months later. His was known for his fairness, integrity, and wit.

The Honorable Richard Ishikawa died March 3, 2009, at the age of 76.

Jernegan, Jeffrey L.
A remembrance by his friend Michael Caryl

To those who knew him, Jeff was a superb lawyer, a great husband and father, and a great friend. Jeff wasn't flashy, pushy, or larger than life. He was a low-key, unflappable, and easy-going person. Jeff had many friends and many more who respected him for who he was and especially for his legal talents.

I had the opportunity to work on many cases with Jeff. At the time, my practice was limited largely to plaintiffs' personal injury cases, while Jeff had a broad maritime law practice. I was quite impressed by Jeff's extensive maritime knowledge and good legal judgment. Around 1993, Jeff and I took on a maritime personal injury case. We liked our client, but it was a case with a lot of problems, and with a very difficult and stingy insurer. When we were offered only a pittance in mediation, Jeff and I took the case to trial. Jeff handled the liability side of the case, while I handled damages. It was a magical experience for me. Everything we did went right and we ultimately got a great award from the court. We worked so well together. Working with Jeff on the case was one of the most rewarding experiences of my career. Trying a case together with a good friend you truly enjoy and respect can be among the most gratifying things a trial lawyer can do. I gained a newfound higher level of respect for Jeff's abilities.

Many of us are reaching a point in our lives where some of our colleagues have begun leaving this life. I have lost a couple of close lawyer friends over the years, persons claimed by death, in my view, well too early. Jeff was one of those. While practicing, he was an excellent counselor, a superb advocate, dedicated to his clients, exuding a love and zest for the law. He lived his life in a manner that most of us would only hope to emulate and lived out his remaining days with his focus on friends and family. I was far from Jeff's closest friend, but I will always be grateful for the experiences I had with him.

Jeffrey Jernegan died on January 27, 2009, at the age of 59.

Jones, Alison M.

Judge Alison Jones, of Gig Harbor, was a graduate of the University of Puget Sound School of Law. She served as assistant chief judge for the Board of Industrial Insurance Appeals.

The Honorable Alison Jones died February 24, 2009, at the age of 62.

McCollough, Leah C.

Leah McCollough, a Michigan native, graduated from Duke University, and earned law and graduate degrees from Case Western University in Cleveland, Ohio. She was president of LCM Consulting, a coaching and training company. She served on many volunteer boards, including Hopelink and the Women's Funding Alliance of Seattle.

Leah McCollough died January 8, 2009, at the age of 43.

Merrell, Bryan S.

Bryan Merrell graduated from Washington State University and earned his J.D. at the University of Idaho College of Law. He was an attorney for First American Title in Seattle. Prior to that, he worked with Groh Eggers Price and Routh Crabtree in Anchorage. He was an avid Seahawks, Mariners, and WSU Cougars fan. He enjoyed motoring, boating, gardening, and writing.

Bryan Merrell died March 19, 2009, at the age of 45.

Mitchell, Paul C.

Paul Mitchell was born in Spokane, earned his J.D. from UW School of Law, and received his LL.M. from George Washington University School of Law. He served in the U.S. Air Force and had a 40-plus-year career with the U.S. government as a procurement law attorney. He loved the outdoors, enjoying hiking, canoeing, mountain biking, and skiing.

Paul Mitchell died on March 16, 2009, at the age of 67.

Putra, Brian A.

Brian Putra was born in Pasco, attended Gonzaga University, earned his J.D. at Hastings College of Law in San Francisco, and completed an LL.M. in taxation at Boston University. He was a partner in the Seattle firm of Peterson Young Putra and a respected trial lawyer for 35 years. He served on the Board of Governors of the Washington State Trial Lawyers Association, as chair of the WSBA Disciplinary Board, and as a member of the American Association for Justice. He was a devoted sailor, hunter, and fisherman and had a lifelong passion for golf.

Brian Putra died April 17, 2009, at the age of 65.

Schoedel, Phyllis D.

Phyllis Schoedel earned her law degree from the UW School of Law and started work at the King County Prosecutor's Office. In 1957, she moved to Spokane, where she was one of only a few female attorneys in the area. Spokane County Superior Court Judge Kathleen O'Connor said: "She was one of the first women attorneys here who were visible in the courtroom. She had a good practice." Judge O'Connor added: "She had the best shoes in town," (Schoedel was known for her stylish high heels worn on many occasions). She volunteered her time for Camp Fire Girls, Inc., and the Business and Professional Women's Club.

Phyllis Schoedel died February 24, 2009, at the age of 80.

Splawn, Homer B.
A remembrance by his daughter, Sidney Splawn-Dolquist

Homer Splawn was born in 1910, the son of legendary pioneers Andrew Jackson and Margaret Larsen Splawn. He was a trial attorney, author, historian, horseman, and scholar. He was raised on the Splawn Ranch, which encompassed most of the Cowiche Valley, and was known for prize-winning Hereford cattle. He graduated from the UW School of Law in 1937 and was a sole practitioner and trial attorney for 62 years. He still went to his office in his late 80s, putting on a snap-brim hat and bow tie, pulling on his rubber boots over his custom-tailored suit pants, and stopping at the barn to feed the horses and clean the stalls before heading out.

A tough, brilliant, irascible man, his motto was: "They pay me to try cases, not settle them!" He was fearless and tenacious in the courtroom, enthralling juries with his wit and oratory. It is said that other lawyers would come to court just to watch him. You never knew what was going to happen, whether it was standing on top of fruit ladders or dragging in smashed automobile doors.

His legacy to his children and those who remember him is to be strong and fearless, stand up for what you believe, treasure and hold the past close, and tell your stories so they may live beyond you.

Homer Splawn died March 31, 2009, at the age of 98.

Troup, John B.

John "Bert" Troup and his high-school friend George Christnacht formed a partnership in Tacoma that eventually became Troup, Christnacht, Ladenburg, McKasy & Durkin, Inc., P.S. Active in state and local bar associations, Troup was a past president of the Tacoma-Pierce County Bar Association and served on the WSBA Rules of Professional Conduct and Unauthorized Practice of Law committees. He was a member of the Puget Sound Inn of Court and the Washington State Higher Education Personnel Board. Troup was known as a generous mentor to many attorneys in Pierce County. He had a great sense of humor and was well-loved by his clients.

Bert Troup died March 12, 2009, at the age of 80.

Bar News has also learned of the deaths of Stephen B. Harris Sr. on April 2, 2009, E.W. Rexford Lawrence on August 17, 2008, Kinglun Nip on October 28, 2008, Robert E. Ratcliffe on March 15, 2009, Kelly A. Scott on January 25, 2009, Robert M. Smythe on April 3, 2009, Linda M. Wah on October 30, 2008, and Craig P. Wong on March 7, 2009.