May 2007

In Memoriam

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.

H. William Bamman
Born in Missouri, H. William Bamman graduated from the University of Toledo Law School. He was a trial lawyer who focused on defense of high-risk medical malpractice, legal malpractice, professional negligence, product liability, and government liability cases. Bamman was a member of many organizations, including ABLE, and was past president of the Ohio Association of Trial Attorneys. He died on October 21, 2006, at the age of 71.

Russell C. Brooks
Russ Brooks was the principal attorney with the Pacific Legal Foundation. He was known to many as a tireless, unrelenting advocate for citizens who were oppressed by arbitrary government regulations. Brooks also enjoyed wine, classic cars, and singing favorite tunes. Brooks was dedicated to his family and his church. He passed away on February 25, 2007, at age 41.

Patrick Connell Comfort
Patrick Comfort graduated from Bellarmine Prep, Gonzaga University, and NYU. He practiced law in Tacoma for many years. He served as president of the WSBA, and was a member and past president of the Fircrest Golf Club. He served two terms in the Washington State Legislature, and on the Board of Trustees at Bellarmine. He died on December 9, 2006, at the age of 76.

Steve Cox
A Washington native, Cox graduated from Central Washington University, and received his law degree from Willamette University. After serving as a deputy prosecutor in Franklin County, he worked briefly as a prosecutor in King County, then switched careers to join the Sheriff’s Office in 1997, where he felt he could make the biggest impact on fighting crime. Cox received a Community Builder Award from the Seattle Neighborhood Group. In addition to his police work, he spoke in local schools and helped organize community events. He was also elected president of the local council. Cox died from wounds received while on a police call on December 2, 2006, at the age of 46.

Josef Diamond
Josef Diamond, who belonged to the WSBA for over 75 years, died March 3, 2007, three days short of his 100th birthday. Most people in the Northwest knew his name from his after-work job, building Diamond Parking into a real estate empire holding, or operating more than 1,000 parking facilities, as well as 200 commercial office buildings, apartment complexes, u-store-it facilities, and other investments spread across nine states and western Canada. A son of Russian Jewish immigrants, Diamond graduated from the University of Washington in 1928 and its law school in 1931. He worked a month for free at a Seattle firm to convince them they should hire him, and stayed for 53 years. In a 2005 interview, Diamond maintained that practicing law was what he enjoyed most, solving problems for people. “I settled most of my cases,” he recalled. “Instead of going to trial, we’d compromise — give a little bit, and take a little more.” Diamond Parking remains in the family, run by Diamond’s son and grandson.

John Galbavy
Raised in New Jersey, John Galbavy attended Colorado State University, and received a B.A. from the Colorado School of Mines. He was a geophysicist for Arco Oil Company for several years, and received his law degree from Denver University in 1989. He worked for Hecla Mining Company in Coeur d’Alene, Idaho, and Gold Reserve in Spokane. Galbavy enjoyed golfing, skiing, and coaching sports, and was active with his church and community. He passed away on October 27, 2006 at the age of 47.

James P. Healy
A native of Montana, Healy moved to Tacoma with his family when he was nine. He attended Gonzaga University and received his law degree from Georgetown University in Washington, D.C., in 1942. After serving in the Navy and with the FBI, he moved back to Tacoma and began practicing law. He joined the Superior Court bench in 1974 and spent 18 years as a judge. Upon his retirement the Pierce County Minority Bar Association honored Healy for his unusual fairness and sensitivity to minorities. He was 90 when he died in March.

Russell V. Hokanson
Russell Hokanson loved the law, music, and words. He was born in Bellingham to Swedish immigrants. He graduated from the University School of Law in 1939. He practiced law for more than 60 years, including 50 at one firm. In 1946, he became a founding partner of Todd, Hokanson and White, which after a merger became Helsell, Fetterman, Todd and Hokanson, and which is now known as Helsell Fetterman. Hokanson died March 24 at the age of 93 in Seattle.

Jeremiah M. Long
A Boston native, Long earned degrees from Georgetown University’s School of Foreign Service and Boston College School of Law before being drafted to serve in World War II. After service in the Army, he moved into the JAG Corps and was seconded to the Pentagon during the Korean War. Settling in Bellevue, he founded a company to facilitate 1031 real estate exchanges; his book on the subject is considered the bible of the field. Survivors include his wife, three siblings, five children and 14 grandchildren. Long was 77 when he died March 7, 2007.

Mark C. Paben
Mark Paben, 51, died March 3, 2007, of heart failure. The Seattle lawyer, a partner with the K&L Gates firm, was a longtime supporter of the arts in Washington and chaired some of the state’s leading arts institutions. A native of Illinois, Paben graduated from the University of Illinois and Syracuse University School of Law. Paben chaired the Seattle Arts Commission from 2004 to 2006 and was a member of its board for years. At his death he was co-chair of Washington FilmWorks, an organization promoting the filming of movies in Washington. At other times he was chair and president of the Museum of History and Industry, and served on the boards of half a dozen music and arts organization boards. Seattle Times music critic Melinda Bargreen wrote that Paben’s board presidency of the now-shuttered Northwest Chamber Orchestra was the zenith of the organization’s life in quality and popularity, featuring celebrated performers like Vinson Cole and Carol Vaness.

Woolvin “Pat” Patten
Woolvin Patten attended Mercer University, where he was elected president of the student body association. He graduated from Mercer University School of Law, and after serving in World War II in the Marine Corps, was appointed as an attorney for the newly formed United States Securities and Exchange Commission. He also worked with the Atomic Energy Commission, and was regional counsel for the Internal Revenue Service. Patten passed away on December 24, 2006, at the age of 92.

Loren D. Prescott
Born in Seattle, Loren Prescott earned degrees in accounting and law from the University of Washington. He worked for the Internal Revenue Service for three years before establishing his own private practice in 1957. He was a founding member of the Seattle Tax Group and participated in programs on business and tax subjects offered by the WSBA and the Tax Executives Institute. An avid and award-winning skier, Prescott was a ski instructor and served as president of the Pacific Northwest Ski Instructors Association. In 1973, he helped to found the Centrum Foundation, and served as its president for three terms. He died at the age of 77 on November 19, 2006.

Ramon “Ray” Perry Reid
A native of Chehalis, Reid attended Seattle University, University of Washington, and Gonzaga University. He officiated as municipal judge for the city of Toppenish for 39 years until his retirement in 2003. He served many terms as justice of the peace for Yakima County and as commissioner and  judge pro tem of Yakima County District Court.  He was the town attorney for Granger for 48 years and also served as the town attorney for Harrah for eight years. Reid died March 19 at his home in Toppenish. He was 77.

John N. “Jack” Riese
John Riese was born in Duvall, Washington. He graduated from the University of Washington School of Law and was a founding partner of Emery, Howe, Davis, and Riese, which became Davis Wright Tremaine. Riese served during World War II as a lieutenant commander in the U.S. Navy. He was a founding member of the Casey Family Program, a foster care organization, and served as president and trustee for 22 years. He was also a founding member and honorary trustee of the Washington State 4-H Foundation. In his spare time, Riese greatly enjoyed boating, and was a lifetime member of the Meydenbauer Bay Yacht Club. He passed away on December 3, 2006, at the age of 97.

Joseph Horton Trethewey
Joseph Trethewey was born in Seattle, served in World War II in Japan, and attended the University of Mexico, Linfield, and the University of Washington, where he received his B.A. in business and became a CPA. In 1952, he received his law degree from the University of Washington School of Law, and later earned his masters in taxation at NYU. Trethewey worked in private practice for many years before becoming the vice president in charge of legal work for CEM Associates, and was executive vice president of the Seattle Steel plant. He enjoyed travel, art, wine, and boating. He died on January 28, 2007, at the age of 80.

Dennis M. Wallace
Raised in southern California, Dennis Wal-lace moved to Spokane, leaving only to attend Emory Law School and then returning to practice law for 30 years. He was dedicated to serving those with limited resources, bringing fairness to his clients, and to helping people. Wallace’s passion was genealogy, and through his research, he discovered that his family’s history in America dated back to 1650. He died on January 29, 2007, at the age of 59.