Obituary of Frederick Wright Kimball

Frederick Wright Kimball passed away peacefully on March 4, 2011, of complications from Parkinson’s disease. He will be remembered by his loving family and many friends for his unfailing courtliness and his unflagging vigor and determination. Both in his successful business career and his personal relationships, he always sought the accommodation that left everyone feeling like a winner. Fred was born in Palo Alto, California on April 19, 1918 to Frances and Sherman Kimball. He was a prodigy violinist who won many state-wide competitions in California. He was first violinist with the Stanford University Symphony orchestra when he played beside his future bride, Alice James. He earned a BA and an MBA from Stanford and served in the US Navy and the Royal Canadian Air Force during World War II. Fred and Alice were married in the Stanford Chapel in 1945. Fred became a management consultant for Booz Allen and Hamilton, and after a consulting job for Puget Sound Power and Light, his enthusiasm for the outdoors prompted him to take a position as Vice President of Finance with Puget Power, and move his family to Bellevue in 1956. While at Puget Power Fred became president of its subsidiary, Puget Western, and developed Andover Industrial Park in Tukwila as a pioneering project in private sector economic development. He subsequently went on to become Vice President of Finance at Heath Tecna, and was later a director at the McGrath Corporation. Despite his successful business career, Fred’s primary focus was always on his family. Ever active, he was an avid fisherman, skier, sailor, and SCUBA diver as well as a private pilot. He was a certified ski instructor, competed in the Geary 18 fleet at Corinthian Yacht Club, and founded the Cozy Cove Sailing Fleet. Every week throughout the 1960’s Fred’s front lawn and dock on Hunts Point would be teeming with eager young sailors in Sea Scouts and Penguins. He also organized the Cozy Cove Dive Club, whose members enjoyed diving expeditions from the Caribbean to the South Pacific. Fred is survived by his loving wife of 65 years, Alice Marie James Kimball , and his adoring children, Frederick James Kimball of Seattle and Ann Marie Kimball (Keith Butler) of Seattle, Leslie Kimball Farris (Timothy Farris) of Bellingham, and Joan Kimball (Richard Stiff) of Bellingham, as well as his sister, Tappan Locke (Gardner Locke) of Joseph, Oregon. Fred will also be missed by his fourteen grandchildren: Brice Kimball, Courtney Kimball, Lindsey Marie West Wallace (Alexander Wallace), Kimberly Ann West, Alison West, John Butler (Kasey Butler), Amy Farris, John Farris, Mark Brinn (Carolyn Bailey Brinn), Lucy Brinn, Paul Brinn, Jennifer Stiff Rodriguez (Basilio Rodriguez), Donald Stiff and Laura Stiff, and two great grandchildren, Alec and Conor Rodriguez. Alice would also like to express her deep appreciation for the exceptional care given to Fred during his illness by his caregivers Reza, Eric and Frederick. A private family graveside will be held at Bayview Cemetery, Bellingham. A memorial service for Fred will be held at Bellevue First Congregational Church, 752 108th Avenue Northeast, on Saturday, March 12th, at 11:00 AM. Donations in rememberance may be made to the Booth Gardner Parkinson Care Center, Evergreen Hospital, Kirkland, Washington.