RACHEL CORRIE, 23, the Evergreen State College student who was crushed while standing up to an Israeli Army bulldozer, Tiananmen Square-style, to protest the destruction of Palestinian homes in the Gaza Strip. Her death was an international cause célèbre. For some, Corrie represented the foolishness of American peace activists meddling in the Middle East. Others agreed with the late Edward Said, who said her actions were “heroic and dignified.”
Bernie Little Sr., 77, the George Steinbrenner of unlimited hydroplane racing. His boats, all named the Miss Budweiser, won 22 national titles and 14 Gold Cups, making the Bud race team the New York Yankees of the sport. Little was fiercely competitive, an owner hydro fans loved, or loved to hate. He came to personify and dominate the sport.
Tyree Scott, 63, a longtime Seattle civil-rights and labor leader who helped break down racial barriers in local trade unions and served as a mentor to several generations of local activists.
Priscilla Bullitt Collins, 82, called by The Seattle Times the “unassuming heiress.” “Patsy” Collins quietly used her substantial fortune from the Bullitt family’s King Broadcasting empire to become one of the region’s most generous philanthropists. From funding environmental projects to gifts for a wide array of arts organizations and other charities, Collins avidly supported civic improvement by giving away her millions. Her last gifts to three charities totaled more than $70 million.
Chester Lindsey, 76, the architect who changed the face of Seattle with his 76-story Bank of America Tower, the first sleek, ultramodern skyscraper to decorateor desecratethe Seattle skyline. Activists responded by getting a cap put on downtown high-rises, many agreeing with preservationist Victor Steinbrueck, who called the building “probably the most obscene erection of ego edifice on the Pacific Coast.” Maybe so, but the view from up there is spectacular.
H. Warren Ghormley, 84, co-founder of the incomparable local Dick’s Drive-In chain, which celebrates its 50th anniversary in 2004.
Kent Pullen, 60, the quiet, well-liked, hard-core conservative King County Council member and former state legislator from Enumclaw.
Cynthia Doyon, 48, host of the popular Saturday-night KUOW-FM program, The Swing Years and Beyond, which featured music from radio’s golden age.
Walter Clore, 91, a viticulturist known as the “father of Washington’s wine industry.” It was this Washington State University researcher who toiled in the fields and figured out that we could grow world-class grapes. His pioneering groundwork launched the state’s $2.4 billion wine industry.
Dr. Belding Scribner, 82, the medical researcher and professor emeritus of medicine at the University of Washington who invented a special shunt that allowed patients to receive long-term kidney dialysis, saving millions of lives. He also helped found the nation’s first artificial kidney center at Swedish Hospital in the early 1960s.
Ray Moore, 91, the legendarily outspoken Democratic Seattle state senator who had to resign his seat when it became known he had moved out of his districtto Hawaii. It might have been against the rules, but look out the window. It’s winter. Can you blame him?
Charles O. Carroll, 96, onetime Univer- sity of Washington football star, nicknamed “Iron Man,” who became the iron-fisted political boss of King County. As county prosecutor, he gained a reputation as being tough on crime, except when it came to local law-enforcement agencies. He was stunningly defeated for re-election in 1970, partly the fallout of a countywide scandal involving police payoffs. The resulting reform movement kept the city relatively scandal-freeuntil Strippergate, anyway.
Carrie Seglin, 60, photo editor of national and local magazines, including Backpacker and Washington, and a much-loved former colleague of Mossback’s. Carrie also played a key role at Microsoft, acquiring the photographic content of such groundbreaking multimedia products as Encarta.
Victor Rosellini, 87, the Seattle restaurateur dubbed the “king of hospitality” by Jean Godden. When Seattle was small enough to have only a couple of decent restaurantsand the entire local who’s who could fit in a single Emmett Watson columnRosellini was likely playing host. His legendary eateries included the 410, the Other Place, and the 610.
Donald Ellegood, 78, longtime editor who helped popularize and expand the titles published by the academic University of Washington Press.
John S. Robinson, 81, attorney, gentleman, and onetime Seattle Weekly regular.
Herb Robinson, 78, former Seattle Times editorial page editor and, before that, KOMO-TV anchor and news director.
Elliott Smith, 34, singer, songwriter, and former Portland indie rocker whose song “Miss Misery,” from the film Good Will Hunting, was nominated for an Oscar.
Keiko, 27, the orca who starred in Free Willy. Cellular tycoon Craig McCaw and others donated millions of dollars to see Keikoa captive since age 2returned to the wild. Shipped first from Oregon to Iceland, Keiko eventually swam to Norway, where he frolicked in a fjord entertaining the local townsfolk. As could happen to any of us in the same circumstances, he died of pneumonia in mid-December.
Sidney S. Culbert, 90, University of Washington psychologist and teacher of psycho- linguistics, who helped design the instrument panel for the Boeing 707 jetliner. He was a devotee of the international language Esperanto, which he spoke at home with his wife, Ruth. His car sported a license plate reading “saluton,” which is “hello” in the language. To Prof. Culbert, and to all those listed here, Mossback can only say, gis la revido!
