David Ellison

David Ernest Ellison wanted to be remembered as someone who left this world a better place than when he came into it. That he did. Dave was born August 15, 1921 in Tacoma, Washington to Herbert Ray Ellison and Vena Lesla (Norris) Ellison. He grew up in Malone and the Olympia surrounds with his parents and two sisters, Vivian (Ellison) Bower of Olympia, and Dorothy (Ellison) Park of San Diego, California, Dave attended Olympia High School where he excelled at debate and school politics, being elected senior class president and voted most valuable student by the class body. Dave won a scholarship in a State of Washington 50th anniversary speaking contest in 1939, which provided the funds to allow him to attend Whitman College in Walla Walla. In his second year, he returned to Olympia to attend the Dietz business college to become a court reporter. Soon after, he moved to Seattle to take a job with the Public Service Health Hospital and was living there on December 7, 1941. The entry of the US into the war inspired him to enlist in the Army Air Corps. He went to Biloxi, MS for basic training, then to clerical school in Denver, CO. His first assignment was as a personnel officer at an aircraft gunnery school near Tampa, FL. Dave went overseas in 1943 to Naples, Italy to serve in support of the 7th Army Artillery Air surveillance unit. His duties took him to France and Germany, where he attained the rank of Captain. His Air Force unit served in support of the 7th Army in Operation Dragoon, the invasion of Southern France which began August 15, 1944, on Dave’s 23rd birthday. After the war, Dave enrolled in the University of Montana Law School in Missoula, MT. While at law school, he met “the prettiest girl in the sorority” and promptly decided he was going to marry her. The prettiest girl was Jacquelin Diane Morris, of Billings, MT. They were married December 23, 1946 in Billings. After Dave received his B.A. and J.D. from the University of Montana in 1948, Dave and Diane moved to Olympia where they began raising their family. Dave worked in Olympia as a hearing examiner for the Washington Public Service Commission. After admittance to the Washington State Bar, in 1949 Dave was employed with Seattle First National Bank as a trust department representative. In 1951 the Ellisons, now including first daughter Dava Rae, moved to Bellevue when Dave was moved to SeaFirst’s main office in Seattle. After many years of service in successive positions, Dave was promoted to Senior Vice President and Manager of SeaFirst’s Trust and Investment Division in 1969, a position he held until 1979. In 1978, Dave left SeaFirst and was hired as President of Laird Norton Trust Company, where he served until 1991 when he retired for the first time. In 1993, Dave was a founding member of The Trust Company of Washington and served as Chairman of the Board until when the firm was later acquired by BNY Mellon Bank in 2001. Dave also founded Ellison Trust Services, and even after retirement from the Trust Company of Washington, he continued to work, managing the James B. Pendleton Charitable Trust until he retired at age 94 for the final time. Dave also contributed to his professional field in these capacities. * Principal author of the first Washington Trust Act. * Author, section XI of the Bankers Handbook, Revised Edition 1978 * Author, article on future of personal trust business, American Banker, Feb. 13, 1979 Dave’s other professional business activities and associations include: * Member American, Washington, & Montana Bar Associations * Member Executive Committee, Trust Division, American Bankers Assn. * Member Legislative/Liaison Council, Trust Division, American Bankers Assn. * Served on Education Committee, American Bankers Assn. * General Chairman, Western Trust Conference, 1979 * General Chairman, Trust Management Seminar, 1978 * Managing Officer, Pacific Coast Banking School, Trust Division * President, Corporate Trustee’s Assn. of Washington * President, Trustmen’s Assn. of Western Washington * President, Seattle Estate Planning Council * Chairman, Western Trust Committee. On Conferences * Member, Financial Analysts Federation, Seattle Society * Instructor, Pacific Coast Banking School * Speaker or Panel Participant to: * Washington State Bar Assn. * California and New Mexico Trust Associations * Tax forum, University of Puget Sound * Seattle Estate Planning Seminar * ABA National Trust Conferences * ABA Regional Seminar on Trust Marketing Community Activities included: * President, Seattle Foundation * President, Seattle Opera Endowment Fund * Board member, Seattle Opera * Member, Board Chairman, Bellevue First United Methodist Church * Member, Rainier Club * Member, Harbor Club * Chairman, Summer Jobs Committee, Seattle Nat’l Alliance Of Businessmen * Section Leader, Advance Gifts, United Good Neighbors * President, Pacific Northwest Grantmaker’s Forum * Triangle Swim Club and Pool, founding organizer Even with all these professional and business accomplishments, Dave considered his greatest accomplishment the raising of his and Diane’s children. Together they raised four children. He enjoyed watching the family grow year after year, eventually yielding ten grandchildren and eight great-grandchildren. Dave and Diane lived in Bellevue from 1951, when it was merely a small bedroom community of Seattle, until the end of their lives. Diane preceded Dave in death on April 8, 2015. Diane’s full obituary can be found at https://bartonfuneral.com/2015/05/12/diane-morris-ellison/ For recreation, Dave loved to ride bikes all over the Puget Sound area, go snow skiing at Crystal Mountain and Whistler/Blackcomb, and sail in the San Juans in his Pelican boat, often with one of his children. He and Diane would often get together with good friends on weekends for games of bridge. And then there was what the family simply called “Samish”. Every summer for about 30 years, the ever growing family gathered at Dave and Diane’s vacation home on Samish Island. Kids and grandkids would come from wherever they were, be it Washington, California, New York, Pennsylvania, Colorado, Boston, Paris, or London, to celebrate Dave’s birthday in August. The family would gather for a whirlwind week or short weekend of barbecuing, shopping, staying up till the wee hours talking, watching falling stars at midnight, boating, hiking, golfing, cycling, or whatever activity that day brought. “Samish” was the glue that kept the family in touch and together. Both Dave and Diane are lovingly remembered by their family and friends as having the gift of hospitality and generosity. Whether situations could be helped with advice, resources, or the comfort of a kindly parent, Dave was there for his kids and grandkids. One relative, upon hearing the news of Dave’s passing, said “he was the most generous man I’d ever met.” Dave wanted it known that when his time came to celebrate his life, that through the blessing of family, he left the world a better place. “Heck, even all the grandkids turned out all right” he said with a smile. He often said “In the end, it’s all about family.” Dave passed away peacefully having been visited by lots of family in his final days. In his later years, that was what gave him the most joy - family. Dave is survived by his and Diane’s four children - Dava Rae Ellison Kelly (Frank) of Pacific Palisades, CA; Darlene Ellison Emigh (Douglas) of Concord, CA; Dayle Gwen Ellison Iverson (Robert) of Redmond, WA; Drew Mitchell Ellison (Rebecca) of Everett, WA; Considered-a-son Jean-Louis Pernin (Catherine) of Boston, MA. Lovingly known as “Poppop”, Dave is also survived by his ten grandchildren Laryn Rae Kelly Dorronsoro (Andres), Grayson Mitchell Kelly, Corinne Larzul Curtis (Paul), Melanie Larzul, Kelly Cole O’Connell (Justin), Lindsay Cole Lee (Sean), Brett Michael Cole, David Edward Huycke Ellison, Gregory Mitchell Huycke Ellison, Rosalie Diane Huycke Ellison, and eight great-grandchildren, Emma Rae Dorronsoro, Kelly Ellison Dorronsoro, Elise Renée Curtis, Ariana Sophie Curtis, Landon David O’Connell, Aubrey Lucille O’Connell, Isaac Michael Lee, and Eva Mae Lee. Both Dave and Diane will be interred in the mausoleum at The Odd Fellows Memorial Park in Tumwater, Washington.