This “In Remembrance” section lists WSBA members by bar number and date of death. The list is not complete and contains only those notices of which the WSBA has learned through correspondence from members. Please email notices to wabarnews@wsba.org.
Find obituaries from past issues of Bar News here.
Roberta Armstrong
#42343, 7/11/2025
Roberta Armstrong was born on June 20, 1970, in Seattle. She grew up in Yelm on her family farm and attended South Puget Sound Community College, where she studied engineering and patent law. Armstrong worked at the Kimberly-Clark Paper Mill for several years before deciding to pursue a J.D. at Arizona State University and later the University of Washington School of Law. She graduated with her law degree in 2006. In 2004, during law school, Armstrong participated in the Indian Estate Planning Intern Program on the Warm Springs Indian Reservation and discovered her passion for Indian law. Armstrong went on to establish the Stewards of Indigenous Resources Endowment (SIRE), which provided estate planning services to Native families with the goal of protecting Native lands and keeping them in Native families. Armstrong was licensed to practice law on 22 Indian reservations across the country and had started to visit indigenous groups in Mexico. She died on July 11, 2025, after having cancer for three years. She was preceded in death by her sister, Gloria. Armstrong is survived by her siblings, Percie, Larry, Walter, and Regina; many nieces and nephews; and other friends and family members.
Carol Baker
#23484, 9/1/2025
Carol Baker was born on Aug. 2, 1942, in Flint, Michigan. Described as a trailblazer, she became the first Professional Legal Secretary (PLS) in Louisiana and eventually started her own business, Baker Land Title. At the age of 50, she earned her J.D. from Gonzaga University School of Law. After law school, Baker worked with CASA (Court Appointed Special Advocates), helping children navigate the legal system. Baker also worked as a master tax advisor with H&R Block for more than 20 years. Outside of work, Baker loved music and performance. She sang with the Sweet Adelines and participated in the Colorado Symphony’s “Too Hot to Handel” show. She also enjoyed traveling and particularly loved river cruises. She is described as someone who embraced adventure and made friends everywhere she went. Baker is preceded in death by her parents, Donald and Susie Hackett. She is survived by her daughters, Elizabeth Baker and Christine Boyette; her grandchildren, Evan and Joshua Boyette; her siblings, Jean Mitton and Alan Hackett; her nieces and nephews; and many friends.
David Brown
#20379, 8/4/2025
David Brown was born on April 14, 1964, in Centralia to parents Ronald and Janet Brown. Brown attended Centralia High School, where he played on the 1980-1981 state championship basketball team, coached by his father. Brown then attended Centralia Community College, where he also played basketball, and transferred to the University of Washington, where he was a manager for the men’s Husky basketball team. He graduated from the UW Foster School of Business in 1987, the University of Oregon School of Law in 1990, and the University of San Diego with a Master of Laws in taxation in 1991. He returned home to Lewis County, where he practiced with the firm of Enbody and Dugaw for the first part of his career and later practiced with his wife, Mareen, and brother-in-law, Don Blair. Brown met Mareen in 1994 at the Lewis County Courthouse when he was a defense attorney and she was an intern with the Attorney General’s Office. The pair married in 1999. Brown is described as kind, honest, and funny. He loved camping, spending time with his children, animals, coaching basketball, and all things Disney. He was also an excellent chef, and in 2006 won first place in the Cascade Country Cook-Off for “Best Chicken in Lewis County.” Brown died suddenly of natural causes on Aug. 4, 2025. He is survived by his mother, Janet; his wife, Mareen Bartlett; his children, William Jenkins Brown, Devon Read Brown, and Lily Madison Brown; his siblings, Alisa and Ron Peterson, Tim and Anna Brown, and Julie and Randy Kaut; and many nieces, nephews, and cousins.
Brian Cahill
#11458, 7/15/2025
Brian Cahill was born on Oct. 10, 1952, in the Bronx, New York, to parents Frank and Mary Cahill. He attended Iona College and St. John’s University School of Law. He was admitted to practice law in New York and Washington. In 1980, Cahill moved to Seattle with his wife. He initially worked in private practice and later joined the IRS, where he was a pioneer of electronic tax filing and supported Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) sites. Cahill retired in 2000, after 30 years in practice. He is described as a gentle soul with a wry sense of humor. Outside of work, Cahill loved hiking and camping, aeronautics, woodworking, and plastic modeling. He was a member of the International Plastic Modelers Society – Seattle. Cahill died on July 15, 2025, after a sudden illness. He is survived by his wife, Joann Murphy Cahill; his children, Kevin Cahill and Meghan Cahill; his grandson, Owen Cahill; his siblings, Christine Wagner, Lisa McGrath, and John Cahill; and many nieces and nephews.
Theodore Collins
#369, 8/3/2025
Theodore (Ted) Collins was born on Oct. 2, 1936, in Walla Walla. He grew up on his family’s wheat farm in Waitsburg with his six siblings, Colleen, Roselle, Suzanne, Robert, Janet, and Thomas. In 1958, Collins graduated from the University of Notre Dame. He then continued his studies on a Fulbright Scholarship at the University of Bonn in Germany. After his Fulbright study, Collins attended Harvard Law School. He began his legal career at Perkins Coie, where he soon became a partner and the head of the litigation department. Collins met his future wife, Patricia Pasieka, during this time—she was working as a law clerk for a federal district court judge in Seattle. The couple married in 1968 and went on to have five children, Jonathan, Caitlin, Matthew, Patrick, and Flannary. After 24 years with Perkins Coie, in 1986, Collins joined the Boeing Company as vice president and general counsel. He retired from Boeing in 2000 and served as of counsel with Perkins Coie and taught adjunct law courses at Seattle University School of Law. Collins also performed volunteer legal work at the Downtown Emergency Services Center and served on the Municipal League of King County Board of Directors, the Seattle Public Library Foundation Board of Directors (1999-2019), and the Seattle University Board of Trustees (1996-2012). Outside of work, Collins was an avid athlete. He was an active member of the Washington Athletic Club, coached and played soccer, skied, golfed, and completed over 40 marathons. Collins also played guitar, sang in the St. Therese Choir, cheered for the Mariners and Sonics, and traveled and attended the opera and theater with his wife. Collins died on Aug. 3, 2025, at the age of 88. He is survived by his wife, Patricia; his five children; and his 10 grandchildren, Max, Lillian, Theo, Quinn, Cassidy, Juliana, Finley, Marlowe, Willow, and Nico.
Sharon Eckholm
#20866, 5/11/2025
Sharon Eckholm was admitted to the WSBA in 1991. She worked at the Washington State Department of Revenue. She died on May 11, 2025, at the age of 60.
Gary Eliasen
#2010, 7/1/2025
Gary Eliasen was born on Feb. 27, 1939. He grew up on a farm outside of American Falls, Idaho, with parents Ida and Lars Eliasen and siblings Norm, Lyle, John, and Laura. Eliasen attended Colorado State University, where he ran track, competing in the mile and the 2,000-meter steeple chase. Eliasen placed fourth in the mile at the NCAA championship and competed in the Olympic trials. He earned his J.D. from the University of Washington School of Law. After graduating in 1965, he joined the Air Force. While stationed in Washington, D.C., Eliasen met his future wife, Nancy. The pair married in 1970 and went on to have two children, Erin and Kirsten. Eliasen started his legal career at Merrick, Hofstedt and Lindsey, and eventually spent 45 years with the firm. Outside of work, Eliasen loved yardwork, his dogs, and his family. He is survived by his wife, Nancy; his daughter, Erin; his grandchildren, Jed and Rory; his siblings, Lyle, John, and Laura; and many nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by his parents; his brother, Norm; and his daughter, Kirsten.
Judith Larsen
#14883, 8/11/2025
Judith (Kema) Larsen was born on Dec. 5, 1939, in Butte, Montana. She spent her childhood in Montana, with her horse named Dagger, until she moved with her family to Bainbridge Island. At age 17, Larsen published her first poem. She then attended the University of Washington, where she studied poetry under Theodore Roethke and other poets. During the 1959 earthquake in Yellowstone National Park, Larsen met her future husband, Paul. They had two daughters, Astrid and Heidi. Larsen earned her master’s degree in Elizabethan literature from Columbia University and then her J.D. from Georgetown University. She practiced as a public defender in juvenile courts in Washington, D.C. and worked for the EPA. She also contracted with the American Bar Association to advise on laws, educate judges, and write the book, Foster Care Law: A Primer. After retiring from the practice of law, Larsen moved to Bainbridge Island to study philosophy, quantum physics, and esotericism. She is described as brilliant and enigmatic. Larsen died on Aug. 11, 2025, at the age of 85.
Thomas Leavitt
#6629, 7/13/2025
Thomas Leavitt was born on April 21, 1949, to parents Robert Leavitt and Janice Keene in Seattle. He earned his bachelor’s degree (1971) and law degree (1974) from the University of Puget Sound, where he served as the president of the student association and became the first student-body president to serve as an ex officio member of the University’s Board of Trustees. In 1976, Leavitt married his wife, Darcy Goodman. Leavitt worked in private practice for several years before turning to entrepreneurial ventures. He founded Leavitt Capital Companies and was a founding member of the board of directors for Puget Sound Bank. Leavitt served on the University of Puget Sound’s Board of Trustees for 25 years and was recognized in 2016 with an alumni award for his lifetime of service. He was also a chair of the board of the Kline Galland Home and served on the boards of the Epiphany School and the University of Washington Diabetes Research Council. He was an avid supporter of Summit Assistance Dogs, a nonprofit that provides highly skilled mobility service dogs to people living with disabilities. Leavitt died of cancer on June 15, 2025. He is survived by his wife, Darcy; his children, Adrien and Alex; his granddaughter, Paloma Luz; and his sisters, Robin Leavitt and Maggie Kite.
Lawrence Lundberg
#4728, 7/19/2025
Lawrence Lundberg was born on Jan. 18, 1947, in Seattle to parents Bert and Solveig Lundberg. He attended the University of Washington and the University of Minnesota Law School. Lundberg married his wife, Laurene, in 1970. He was licensed to practice law in Alaska and Washington, and practiced law until 2016, when he retired to focus on detective novels, classic cars, and reading The New York Times. In 2005, Lundberg was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease. He kept his symptoms at bay for many years with regular jogging and medication. Lundberg died on July 19, 2019. He is survived by his daughter, Nicole McCormick, and his grandson, Quinn. He was preceded in death by his wife of 49 years, Laurene; and his children, Kathryn and Michael.
Jacob Murphy
#29818, 7/22/2025
Jacob Murphy was born on Jan. 16, 1972, in Oregon. He grew up in Southeast Alaska and later Virginia. Murphy earned his undergraduate degree from Virginia Tech and his law degree from St. Mary’s School of Law in San Antonio, Texas. At St. Mary’s, Murphy met his future wife, Lisa. After law school, the couple moved to Seattle to start their legal careers. Murphy worked as a defense attorney in Port Orchard for 25 years. He was a passionate advocate for therapeutic courts, served as the assigned defense attorney for the Kitsap County Drug Court Program for over 15 years, and helped develop the Kitsap County Veteran’s Court Program, which helped underserved veterans in need of treatment and support. Outside of work, Murphy loved traveling and spending time with his wife and their son, Declan. He also coached his son’s middle football team. Murphy is described as larger than life, funny, and loyal. He died on July 22, 2025, after suffering a stroke at the age of 53. He is survived by his wife, Lisa; their son, Declan; his mother, Connie Murphy; his brothers, Mike and Matt; and other family members. He was preceded in death by his father, Dennis.
Frederick Noland
#1005, 6/21/2025
Frederick Noland was born on April 16, 1939. He earned degrees from Williams College, American University, and Columbia University Law School, and then served in the Peace Corps in Isfahan, Iran, with his first wife, Jane Noland. From 1968 to 2001, Noland practiced at the Seattle firm MacDonald Hoague & Bayless. He focused on civil rights and litigation and championed the rights of Native American fishers and Tribes, public school teachers, and others. As chair of the ACLU’s legal committee, he was the lead attorney in litigation before the U.S. Supreme Court that led to the desegregation of Seattle’s schools. Noland served as president of the King County Bar Association in 2001, during which time he launched the Drug Policy Project, which focused on a humane, health-based approach to substance use disorders and prioritized decriminalization, education, and treatment. Noland also served as chair of the Washington State Bar Association’s Young Lawyers Section. His numerous other volunteer activities included founding Ploughshares (Returned Peace Corps Volunteers Working for Peace); leading projects to build homes and parks in the Soviet Union, Uzbekistan, Armenia, and Ethiopia; and serving on the advisory board of PeaceTrees Vietnam, which raised money to remove bombs and landmines and plant trees in the former Vietnamese Demilitarized Zone. Over the course of his career, Noland received many accolades and awards, including the WSBA’s Ralph Bunche Award, the King County Bar Association’s Helen M. Geisness Award, and Uzbekistan’s Medal of People’s Friendship. Outside of work, Noland enjoyed traveling the world with his wife, Susan. They bought and renovated two ruined houses near a 14th century Moorish castle on the Mediterranean coast and spent 15 years introducing friends and family to Spain and Morocco. Noland is described as generous, charming, and intelligent, a bridge builder who worked tirelessly for justice and peace. According to his obituary, he “maintained an anti-establishment bent, leveraging his privilege to question convention, especially when the status quo benefits the powerful at the expense of the vulnerable.” Noland died on June 21, 2025, of prostate cancer more than a decade after his original prognosis predicted. He is survived by his wife, Susan; his two daughters; and four grandchildren.
Brian Nordwall
#12774, 6/15/2025
Brian Nordwall was born on Feb. 28, 1952, in Rochester, New York, to parents William and Bernice Nordwall. He attended the University of Wisconsin and the University of Miami School of Law. In the early 1980s, Nordwall and his family moved to Seattle, where Nordwall practiced law and opened an electric bicycle shop. He loved fishing, sailing, and traveling the world. At home, Nordwall enjoyed cooking for groups of friends and family. His specialties included spaghetti and meatballs, pies, and Thanksgiving stuffing. He is described as an enduring optimist, a creative, and a broad intellectual. Nordwall is survived by his daughter, Elizabeth Satwicz; his son, Bill Nordwall; his stepson, Chase Cooper; his grandchildren, Anita Belle, Evelyn, and Benjamin; his sister, Deborah Flaschen; and his former wives, Lizbeth Adams and Margaret Nordwall.
William Neukom
#94, 7/14/2025
William (Bill) Neukom was born on Nov. 7, 1941, in Chicago. His father, John, was a partner of McKinsey & Company in San Francisco, and his mother, Ruth, was a community leader in the Bay Area. Both were graduates of the University of Chicago. Neukom earned his bachelor’s degree from Dartmouth College in 1964 and his law degree from Stanford Law School in 1967. After law school, he served as a law clerk for King County Superior Judge Theodore S. Turner. Neukom then began private practice in Seattle, focusing on commercial and civil rights litigation. In the 1970s, he became friends with Bill Gates Sr., who later became Neukom’s law firm colleague, mentor, and role model. Starting in 1978, Neukom began representing Microsoft as outside counsel, and in 1985, he became the company’s first general counsel. He retired from Microsoft as executive vice president in 2002 and thereafter returned to private practice with Preston Gates & Ellis (now K&L Gates). Neukom served as president of the American Bar Association from 2007-2008 and in 2008, he became managing partner and CEO of the San Francisco Giants. He served in the role during the 2010 season when the Giants won their first World Series since 1954. Alongside his legal career, Neukom served in various other roles—including as chairman of the Board of Trustees of Dartmouth College, trustee of the University of Puget Sound, and lecturer on the rule of law. In 1995, he and his four children started the Neukom Family Foundation, which funded organizations like Planned Parenthood, the National Women’s Law Center, and the Innocence Project. In 2006, Neukom founded the World Justice Project, where he served as CEO until his passing. The nonprofit worked to advance the rule of law around the world. Among Neukom’s many hobbies and passions were fly-fishing, skiing, horseback riding, bebop jazz, running sub-3-hour marathons, and curating his art collection. He is survived by his wife of 29 years, Sally; his former wife, Diane McMakin; his children, Josselyn Neukom, Samantha Neukom, Gillian Neukom Toledo, and John Neukom; his grandchildren, Brown, Jock, Minna, Margaret, Lillian, Riley, Adelaide, Leo, Beatrice, Flora, Maribel, Poppy, Willa, and William; and his brothers, Davidson and Daniel. He was preceded in death by his sister, Barbara Neukom Bohn.
Ruth Robinson
#9391, 8/7/2025
Ruth Robinson was born on Nov. 29, 1939, in Michigan City, Indiana. She attended Northwestern University and the University of Puget Sound School of Law. Robinson worked for the University of Washington and then held legal positions with King County, the City of Seattle, and Snohomish County. Robinson loved traveling, golfing, cheering for the Seahawks, and reuniting frequently with her high school classmates. She was preceded in death by her parents, Harold and Velma Rasmussen; and her great niece, Brija Keusch. She is survived by her sister, Jane Hendrickson; her nephews, Kris Keusch, Stephen Hendrickson, and Patrick Hendrickson; her niece, Cary Hendrickson; many other cousins and close friends; and her cats, Charlie, Pushkin, Pywacket, Pandora, and Min Min.