November 2009

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.

Judge James H. Allendoerfer

A remembrance by Bruce Keithly

Jim, or Judge Jim, as I called my best friend and long-time business partner, left indelible footprints on life’s path. His was a path worth knowing about and well worth following.

Jim was a Seattle native and a graduate of the UW School of Law. Passing the bar exam with ease, he clerked for Supreme Court Justice Orin Hamilton for one year. He and his wife, Carolyn, then ventured to Guam for two years, where he worked for the Attorney General’s Office of the Territory of Guam. Returning to the Northwest and to his much loved and much hiked Cascade and Olympic Mountains, he took up residence in Everett and went to work as a deputy Snohomish County prosecuting attorney.

Following his time as a deputy prosecuting attorney, Jim joined a small law firm with offices in Marysville and Snohomish with a focus on land use law and municipal representation. In his lawyer life, Jim was very bright, knowledgeable, hard-working, and competitive. Most of all, he was a consummate professional. He gained many clients when, after the dust had settled and his side had prevailed, the adverse party would ask him to represent them in the future.

Jim’s first love was his family and Jim always cared about his community. He served in a number of leadership roles in the Everett area, including at the Trinity Episcopal Church and as a board member of the Evergreen Council of the Boy Scouts of America. He served as president of the Snohomish County Bar Association and worked pro bono for the Everett Symphony Orchestra.

When Jim was appointed to a vacancy on the Snohomish County Superior Court bench in late 1990, I lost a wonderful partner with whom I had worked for 15 years. Because of the value we each placed on our friendship, we agreed that I would never appear before him. That allowed me to keep a dear friend and it allowed Jim to have a lawyer friend in whom he could confide and who could give him a reality check if one was needed. Jim’s long experience as a lawyer, as well as his wonderful sense of humor, served him well in his role as a superior court judge. Jim shed tears as he signed the resignation which ended his career due to his illness. Jim was truly meant to be a lawyer and a judge. Living the Golden Rule as a person, a lawyer, and a judge is not easy, but James H. Allendoerfer did it, and he made it look easy.

Judge James Allendoerfer died on July 30, 2009, at the age of 66.

Robert Burks

Bob Burks was born in Yakima, served in the U.S. Navy, earned degrees in political science and business administration, and received his J.D. from the University of Arizona and Master of Laws in Taxation from the University of Miami. He was also a certified public accountant. He was a lifelong learner, had an amazing memory, and loved golf and Cougar sports.

Bob Burks died on July 10, 2009, at the age of 79.

Judge John M. Cunningham

Jack Cunningham was born and raised in Centralia. He attended the University of Washington, where he was a pitcher on the baseball team.

He served in WWII in the 66th Black Panther Division and 42nd Division in France and Germany and was awarded the Bronze Star for his combat duty. Returning to the University of Washington after the war, he earned his law degree in 1950.

For the next 59 years, Cunningham practiced law in his hometown of Centralia. He was an active member of the Lewis County, Washington State, and American bar associations. He served five years on the WSBA Disciplinary Board and one year as its chair. Over the years he was a municipal judge, a police court judge, and a justice of the peace.

He enjoyed gardening, all sporting events, and, most of all, spending time with his family.

Judge Jack Cunningham died on August 9, 2009, at the age of 85.

Ray Hayes

Ray Hayes was born in Kansas City. He received his law degree from the University of Denver. He served in the Marine Corps and practiced law in Chehalis until recalled to active duty during the Korean Conflict, obtaining the rank of captain. He served as a Lewis County deputy prosecutor. He obtained a pilot’s license and a real estate broker’s license. He was active in local, state, regional, and federal bar associations. He and his wife moved to Surprise, Arizona, in 1992, where he later took the Arizona Bar exam on his 71st birthday and passed.

Ray Hayes died on July 27, 2009, at the age of 84.

Judge L. Thomas Parker

A Washington native, Judge L. Thomas Parker was born in Olympia. He received an undergraduate degree from the University of Washington and his law degree from the University of Washington School of Law. After graduating, Parker served in the Judge Advocate General Corps of the Air Force until 1957, then practiced law with his father in Aberdeen until 1970, when he was elected as a judge of the Grays Harbor County District Court. Parker served as a judge from 1971 until his retirement in 1996, and, at the time of his retirement, he was one of the longest-sitting judges in the state. Parker was an avid Huskies fan, regularly attending home games, and a passionate genealogy researcher.

Judge L. Thomas Parker died on May 21, 2009, at the age of 77.

Judge John P. Sullivan

Judge John P. Sullivan’s love of the ocean began when he was appointed and graduated from the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy at Kings Point, New York. He was commissioned an ensign in the U.S. Naval Reserve and eventually became a chief mate. Sullivan was a maritime attorney for 30 years, a partner at Bogle & Gates, and was also an arbitrator for the King County Superior Court. After retiring from active legal practice, he worked for the Marine Employees’ Commission for 14 years. He also enjoyed boxing, sailing, skiing, and playing tennis with his wife.

Judge John P. Sullivan died on May 2, 2009, at the age of 84.

Clement Yuse

Clement Yuse was born in Spokane and graduated from Gonzaga High School in 1942. He joined the Navy and served as a radio man at Farragut, completing tours of duty in the Philippines, China, and Japan. He graduated from Gonzaga University and the Gonzaga University School of Law under the G.I. Bill and began a legal practice in Hillyard. Sullivan was an attorney for 54 years and was honored by the WSBA for 50 years of membership before closing his practice in March 2009. He enjoyed tennis, skiing, and traveling, especially to the Oregon coast.

Clement Yuse died on May 13, 2009, at the age of 84.