Lillian DePartee Shallow

July 30, 1924 New Haven, CT - November 1, 2017 Seattle, WA

Lillian passed away peacefully and surrounded by family at the age of 93 at Mirabella in Seattle.

A devoted and politically active citizen of the Pacific NW, she grew up in Seattle, attending Montlake and Stevens Grade Schools, before graduating early from Garfield High School in 1941. She spent a college prep year at the Helen Bush School prior to attending Vassar College on a full scholarship.

During her school years, Lil enjoyed ballroom dancing, which were usually formal affairs. She had the great opportunity to attend dances performed by the best of the big bands, including Glenn Miller, Tommy Dorsey, Duke Ellington, Les Paul, Benny Goodman, Count Basie and Lionel Hampton on the bandstand in the early 40's. Lil also crewed sailboat races on Lake Washington with good friend Bill Terry, on flat bottomed boats, called "flatties".

During the early days of radio, in 1941 Lil and family listened to President Franklin Roosevelt's Pearl Harbor speech, a "day that will live in infamy".

At age 19, during WWII, in July 1944, Lillian married James A. DePartee Jr. of West Seattle, who was an Army officer attending classes at the University of Washington. Shortly thereafter, when he left for combat duty in Europe, Lil returned to Seattle. She went to work at the Boeing Airplane Company on a swing-shift while also attending classes at the U.W.

Following the war, Lil joined her husband in Vienna, Austria for post-war civilian work, helping Jim with his Financial Advisor duty and (among other things) helping process "war brides" on their way to the U.S. Vienna, at that time, was under four-power rotating control (US, England, France & Russia), and like Berlin, they were located in the heart of the Russian Zone.

Jim and Lil then returned to Seattle to finish up studies at the University of WA and, after graduating, began an Architectural Specialties business called the "DePartee Company". They subsequently built a home on the north end of Mercer Island, starting their family there. They built again in 1955 in Medina for $18,500, a home with views of both Lake Washington and Mt. Rainier. Later, after Jim headed up a Portland area business for 3 years in the mid 60's, they returned to the Madrona neighborhood in Seattle. Soon after, Lil saw her first Rock 'n' Roll show..."Herman's Hermits" with opening act "The Who" on their first U.S. Tour in 1967.

As a homemaker, Lillian became politically active in Central Area schools and civil rights affairs. After four years of graduate school she was awarded a Master's Degree in Social Work from the University of Washington in 1969. She then worked for 11 years as a Re-Evaluation Counselor, before forming a partnership with two others in a private counseling practice. Her love and esteem for many hundreds of clients world-wide is shown by an enduring compassion for all.

As an early NW skier (since the 30's), she and her family used to hike up to the Beaver Lake area at Snoqualmie Summit before ski lifts were built to enjoy the thrills of downhill skiing. Later on she also discovered a love for cross-country. Lil and family spent many years as members of the Seattle Ski Club, where they worked at Snoqualmie Pass and taught throughout the 60's and early 70's, meeting lifelong friends along the way. Lil also always loved hiking, camping, and spending time with her family on the Oregon Coast. Lil once rafted the Colorado River in the 70's with her brother Bert (and his new wife Carmen) through the Grand Canyon during a snowy week camping in May. They also plunged down a terrifying 29-foot rapids.

In the 1980's, Lil drove a precarious camper on a solo trip across the U.S., from Mercer Island to Boston...the occasion being brother Laurie's 25th Reunion at Harvard. With no rear view mirrors and no AC, she battled hot weather, dusty conditions and torrential rains. Lil stayed alone in campgrounds for $1 a night. She also once experienced a Mother's Day Hot Air Balloon ride in Woodinville.

Her two annual vacations from Seattle, were always highlights of her life...the Shakespearean Festival in Ashland, OR (for 35 years), and the Seattle International Film Festival, where she'd been a season ticket holder since the very first season. She also volunteered as an Usher for many years with several Seattle performance theatres such as the Intiman, ACT and Bathhouse Theaters. Doing so guaranteed her a chance to attend all the great stage productions of the day.

In 1989 after 16 years solo, Lil met her 2nd husband, Donald, a widower (and former brother-in-law).

Having been distant acquaintances since the 40's, they married in 1990 and she moved to his home in Montecito (Santa Barbara, CA), renewing her acquaintance with his children and her nieces Suzen, Patricia, and Barbara and nephew Jim Shallow. Her extended California family now included several grandchildren and four great grandchildren. During their Santa Barbara years, Lil and Don traveled extensively, participating in many West Coast Dixieland Jazz Festivals while continuing to enjoy Ashland, SIFF, and some exciting world cruises. She also volunteered at the Santa Barbara Film Festival for several years and attended computer classes at a local college for continuing adult education.

After Don's death in 2008, she returned to her Capitol Hill condo in Seattle. She enjoyed working out regularly on her treadmill into her 90's, and was featured on a KING-TV news story about her resolve to stay in shape. Her recent goal in life was to get her "desk cleared off" and files up-to-date, thus simplifying and easing the challenge to survivors in making the transition to whatever lay ahead a smooth one.

Lil is survived by sons David DePartee (Tracey) of Redmond, Richard DePartee of Seattle and daughter Diane Grace Crutcher (John) of Olympia...also grandchildren Tiffani Lee, Morgana DePartee, Max DePartee, Kyle DePartee and Brian DePartee.

She is also survived by her Southern California family, Suzen Smallwood of Yucca Valley, Patricia Stensby (Joey) of Santa Barbara, Barbara Faruki (Faiz) of Goleta, and Jim Shallow (Theresa) of Auburn, plus several grand-children and five great grand-children. She also leaves behind her beloved sister-in-law, Margie Griffin from Mercer Island (and now Mazama, WA) as well as former daughter-in-law Lisa Yeakel of Seattle. Lillian was pre-deceased by her parents Dr. Eldon and Helen LaMonte Ely Griffin of Seattle; also by her brothers Bill Griffin of Seattle, Bert Griffin of Phoenix, and Laurie Griffin of Mercer Island.

Lil would also like to wish a special thanks and appreciation to the entire staff at Mirabella for their superb assistance, gracious care and generous love during her time there.

She leaves this world with a great and profound appreciation for the love and enrichment we've all shared during her life, and reminds us all to "do something kind or thoughtful for another person every day of your life, including yourself". Rest in peace blessed Lillian.

Private Inurnment, Evergreen Memorial Park.