Burton C Waldo

Burton C. Waldo, a Seattle insurance-defense attorney, kept his serenity and sense of humor by boning up on American history and going fishing as often as possible.

Gentleman scholar and outdoorsman that he was, he kept a calm, kind manner while firmly defending clients.

He'd argued cases for entities being sued by workers or customers all the way to the state Supreme Court. He maintained his integrity and an interest in helping others, say colleagues.

"I came to the firm (Keller Rohrback) as a 23-year-old out of law school, and he was a wonderful teacher to me when it was still unusual for a woman to be a lawyer," said colleague Irene Hecht.

"He was at the height of his profession but took the time to mentor me and several new lawyers here."

Mr. Waldo died June 20 of pneumonia. He was 79.

Born into the family that helped found Waldo Hospital, now part of Northwest Hospital, he graduated in 1937 from the old Broadway High School on Capitol Hill.

Summer jobs included mowing the lawn at the hospital and clerking at Eddie Bauer's sports shop. Mr. Waldo boated with Bauer on Lake Union to test salmon bait.

Mr. Waldo interrupted his schooling at the University of Washington to serve in the Army during World War II.

He joined Keller Rohrback in 1950, fresh out of the UW Law School. He was managing partner in the 1970s and 1980s.

Interested in politics, he worked on campaigns for Republicans Dan Evans, Joel Pritchard and U.S. Sen. Slade Gorton. He also managed a Seattle City Council campaign for Tim Hill, who later became King County executive.

"He liked to plan and was very good at it," said colleague Laurence Weatherly. "He traveled a lot with his wife and planned to the last detail, finding unusual places and their history and culture."

Active in Sons of the American Revolution, Puget Sound Civil War Roundtable and the Federation of Fly Fishers, he retired in 1996.

That was the year his son Jim Waldo ran for governor.

"My father was initially surprised I would do it, then was supportive," said Jim Waldo of Tacoma. "He had a strong belief in giving back to the community."

He also had an endearing mod esty. He displayed in his office a 77-pound king salmon - caught by Margaret Waldo, his wife of 53 years. Beneath the fish was a small certificate granting Mr. Waldo membership in the "Outfished Husbands Club" and perpetual access to the children's fishing pier at Green Lake.

Also surviving are his son Bruce Waldo of Franklin, Tenn.; brother, William Waldo of Seattle; five grandchildren; and a great-granddaughter.