November 2007

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.

Anderson, Donald A.
Donald Anderson was born January 22, 1931, in Cedar City, Utah. He attended the University of Utah and Gonzaga University School of Law, where he received his J.D. He practiced law in Nevada and Washington before devoting himself to being a teacher. He taught business law at Spokane Falls Community College for 30 years. Donald Anderson died July 23 at the age of 76.

Bonnell, Paul F.
Paul Bonnell was born in 1926 in Trenton, Nebraska. He graduated from the UW School of Law in 1950. He began his career in private practice in Ephrata and Othello. He worked as an attorney for the State Highway Department I-5 project. In 1964, he was elected Roxbury District Court judge and served until 1976. Judge Bonnell then started a personal-injury practice in Burien. He enjoyed jewelry-making and gem-cutting in his spare time. Judge Paul Bonnell died May 17 at the age of 81.

Byrnes, Peter D.
Peter Byrnes graduated from the University of Michigan School of Law in 1962. A longtime resident of Mercer Island, Mr. Byrnes was an accomplished antitrust, securities, legal malpractice, and intellectual property attorney. Coworkers enjoyed his Irish sense of humor and positive attitude. His firm, -Byrnes & Keller, represented the seven seafood processing companies that processed fish affected by the Exxon Valdez oil spill. Peter Byrnes died June 14, aged 68.

Foss, Harold W.
Harold Foss was born in Spokane, served as Washington State University student body president, and earned his law degree from the UW School of Law. He served as a first lieutenant with the U.S. Air Force JAG Corps. Mr. Foss was a senior partner with Perkins Coie in the litigation department. He was active in many local charities and with Seattle’s Norwegian community groups. He enjoyed fishing, skiing, golfing, gardening, and cooking. Harold Foss died on July 9, aged 78.

Green, Dale
Dale Green was born in 1922 on a small farm outside of Outlook. A Spokane resident, formerly of Walla Walla, he graduated from the UW School of Law in 1950. He served as assistant U.S. attorney for Eastern Washington, worked for the Department of Justice in Washington, D.C., and later served as U.S. attorney. In 1969, he was appointed to the Washington State Court of Appeals and served for 22 years. He was active with his church and the Rotary, and enjoyed fishing, golfing, bowling, and storytelling. Judge Dale Green died on June 11, aged 85.

Johnson, Arlis W.
Arlis Johnson was born in 1931 in Minot, North Dakota. His family moved to Hoquiam in 1945, where he lived until his death. He graduated from the UW School of Law in 1956 and practiced with the firm of Parker, Johnson & Parker. He was committed to his community and was involved with the Kiwanis, YMCA, and the Elks. Mr. Johnson enjoyed golfing and traveling. Arlis Johnson died August 27 at the age of 76.

Knapp, Hugh A.
Hugh Knapp, a lifelong resident of Camas, was born July 7, 1921. He graduated from Whitman College in 1944 and earned his J.D. from the University of Michigan Law School in 1948. He started a law firm in Camas with partner Bob O’Dell and practiced there for more than 40 years. He served as president of the Clark County Bar Association. Hugh Knapp died on July 14, aged 86.

Kostakos, Gustav G.
Gustav Kostakos was born in 1929 in Seattle. He graduated from the UW School of Law in 1954, and upon graduation served in the U.S. Army Finance and Accounting Office in Tokyo. He then served as a King County prosecutor and entered private practice in 1959. Mr. Kostakos served as judge pro tem of the Seattle Municipal, Bellevue District, and Northeast District courts and as pro tem court commissioner for King County Superior Court. Later in his career, he worked as attorney/house counsel for Diamond Parking and Budget Rent-a-Car of Washington/Oregon. Gustav Kostakos died August 29 at the age of 78.

Lange, Mark A.
Mark Lange was an active member of the Washington, Oregon, and California bars. He received his J.D. from Willamette University College of Law in 1981. His practice included civil and criminal law at the trial and appellate level. Later in his career, he became a political consultant and worked on national and local campaigns. Progressive politics was his lifelong passion. Mark Lange died September 2 at the age of 51.

Leavitt, Michael W.
Michael Leavitt earned his J.D. from the University of Utah School of Law in 1971. He practiced law in Yakima for 17 years before being appointed to the Superior Court, where he served for 14 years. He was selected as a magistrate for the Eastern District of Washington in 2004 and served for more than three years. Judge Michael Leavitt died on June 17, aged 63.

Luckerath, Carl B.
Carl Luckerath was born November 4, 1905. He retired after 50 years of active practice in 1980. At the time of his death, he was the oldest living graduate of the UW School of Law. He volunteered for and was a member of the Elks, Ballard Lions, Seattle Luncheon Club, Scottish Rite, and Nile Shrine organizations. Carl Luckerath was 101 when he died on July 21.

Magee, Michael
Michael Magee was born in Aberdeen, attended Whitman College, and graduated from the UW School of Law in 1972. He began his career as a public defender in Seattle, worked in private practice, and joined the Snohomish County prosecuting team as a deputy prosecuting attorney in 1981. He supervised trial teams and tried serious felony cases. He received great satisfaction in his conviction of Michael Green for the murder of 12-year-old Brenda Gere. He retired from his position as assistant chief criminal deputy in 2003. “He had a wealth of knowledge, both practical and legal, that was unsurpassed. He was always willing to help,” said fellow defense lawyer Stephen Garvey. Mr. Magee was a gifted musician, virtuoso guitarist, pianist, and songwriter. He financed much of his education through singing and playing guitar in coffee houses. Michael Magee died on May 30, aged 61.

Miller, John W.
John Miller was born in 1965 in Bowling Green, Kentucky. He graduated second in his class at the UW School of Law. He was licensed to practice in Washington and Kentucky and was appointed pro tem to the Kentucky Supreme Court in 2005. He enjoyed martial arts and had black belts in Tae Kwon Do, Aidodo, and Iaido. John Miller died July 1 from injuries suffered in an automobile accident near his farm in Logan County, Kentucky. He was 42.

Minikel, David
David Minikel grew up in Michigan and served in the Army in the Vietnam War. He worked as an assistant attorney general for 19 years, as an assistant city attorney for the City of Tacoma, and then in private practice. He was a constant advocate for open government and immigrant rights. Mr. Minikel was active in Democratic politics, and ran unsuccessfully for the state legislature in 1994 as the first openly gay candidate to campaign in a Tacoma-area race. David Minikel died June 23, aged 66.

Novak-Krajewski, Alexa
Alexa Novak-Krajewski was born April 28, 1955, in Alexandria, Virginia. She practiced law in the healthcare field and was general counsel for Highline Community Hospital. Alexa Novak-Krajewski died in August after a long battle against breast cancer at the age of 52.

Pedersen, Willard S.
Willard Peterson, born in Valdez, Alaska, was a graduate of the UW School of Law in 1935 and the University of Michigan Law School in 1946. He served for the U.S. Naval Intelligence during World War II. Mr. Pedersen was associate general counsel for Safeco Insurance Company. He was a volunteer Scout leader and a lifetime devotee of photography and mountaineering. Willard Pederson died July 15, aged 95.

Smith, Michael D.
Michael Smith was born in Stockton, California, and attended law school at the University of Puget Sound. He worked as trial attorney for the superior and district courts for Pierce County, then for the Grays Harbor Prosecutor’s Office, and then in private practice. He held the positions of Aberdeen Municipal Court judge, Raymond City attorney, and public defender in Grays Harbor and Pacific counties. In 1994, Judge Smith was elected as Pacific County Prosecutor. He then moved to Colville, where he took a position in the Stevens County Prosecutor’s Office and where he enjoyed fishing in local lakes. Judge Michael Smith died on May 22 at the age of 57.

Washington, Nat
Nat Washington graduated from the UW School of Law in 1939. During World War II, he served as an intelligence officer and judge advocate. In 1948, he was elected to the Washington State House of Representatives and in 1950, he was elected to the State Senate and served for six terms. He was known for his ability to find common ground with fellow legislators and, through bipartisanship, passed a record number of laws. Mr. Washington was recognized for playing a part in building the state highway system, which was admired for its safety. He held the position of Grant County PUD attorney and devised a financial plan to build the Priest Rapids and Wanapum dams. Nat Washington died August 18, aged 93.

Watkins, Henry J. IV
Henry Watkins was born July 3, 1922, in Kennecot, Alaska. His family moved to Seattle in 1925 where Watkins attended Garfield High School and the UW. He joined the U.S. Army and was assigned to the 82nd Airborne Division in the European theater. After the war, he earned his J.D. from the University of Virginia School of Law. Mr. Watkins practiced law until his retirement in 1986. He had a passion for skiing and was the co-founder of two ski clubs. Henry Watkins died May 22, aged 84.

Weaver, Frank Parks Jr.
Parks Weaver was born in Spokane, graduated from Olympia High School and Stanford University, and received his law degree from Gonzaga University School of Law. He began his legal career as a law clerk at the Washington State Supreme Court. Mr. Weaver served as deputy prosecuting attorney for Thurston County and as counsel to the Association of Washington Business. His private practice focused on estate planning, domestic relations, and judicial campaign finances. He was an avid sailor, crossing the Pacific to Hawaii four times. Frank Parks Weaver died April 26 at the age of 67.

Wesselhoeft, William
William Wesselhoeft was born in Boston and attended Milton Academy and Harvard College. In World War II, he served aboard the destroyer Russell, rising to the rank of full lieutenant. While the Russell was in Bremerton being repaired, Mr. Wesselhoeft visited Seattle and vowed to return. After graduation from Harvard University School of Law, he joined two other law school friends and drove west to Seattle, arriving on October 21, 1948. They celebrated the anniversary of that date 50 years later with 300 friends and relatives. Mr. Wesselhoeft was a litigation attorney and retired in 2001. He served as president of the King County Bar Association, as a delegate to the American Bar Association, and on the WSBA Board of Governors. He loved the sea, the law, and his second home on Cape Cod. William Wesselhoeft died July 15, aged 87.

Bar News has also been informed of the deaths of James E. Dunlap Jr. on February 3, Bruce E. Selikoff on July 7, Edwin N. Storz on May 20, and Cedric Tuohy on March 12.