In Memoriam
Best, Richard (Dick) O.
1931 – 2007
Captain Richard "Dick” Best crossed the bar on May 4th at the age of 76. Dick was born in Little Rock, Arkansas on March 7, 1931 and lived there until he was four years old. His father was an Electrical Engineer with the Arkansas Power and Light Company and as Dick got older, his Dad let him sit on his workbench and watch him repair and make things. This was the beginning of Dick’s developing his electrical and mechanical talents. When he was in his teens he loved to work on cars.
In 1939, the family moved to West Seattle. Dick attended Jefferson Grade School and James Madison Jr. High where he played clarinet in the Orchestra and enjoyed several shop classes. He attended West Seattle High School graduating in 1949. He played clarinet in the Band, enjoyed auto shop and mechanical drawing. He was active in Demolay and had several jobs during high school.
Dick joined the Navy in February 1951 and served four years, two years at Keyport, Washington and two years on the USS Yorktown Aircraft Carrier. He was discharged in January 1955. After returning home, he worked for the Seattle Transit System for 2 years and then Joined Pacific NW Bell where he started his long career in the telephone industry. Dick retired in 1986 after 30 years with Pacific NW Bell, US West and AT&T.
Dick & Betty were married August 20, 1955 at West Seattle Christian Church. They lived in West Seattle in a house they rented from Betty’s Aunt and Uncle. Their daughter Kari was born March 7, 1957 on her Dad’s birthday. They lived in West Seattle until November 1959 at which time they moved to their first home in Lake Hills in Bellevue. Dick enjoyed his new home where he put in a yard, finished the basement and worked to make everything nice for his family. Ken was born June 13, 1961 and soon was a busy little boy. Both children enjoyed the neighbor children.
After Dick’s retirement 1986 and Betty’s from teaching in 1988, they enjoyed their retirement years and in addition to all their boating, began new adventures in motor homing. In February 1993, they took delivery of a new 34’ Safari motor home and went on many Safari Rallies in Washington and Oregon and loved their new lifestyle. In March of 1993, they began to winter in Mesa, AZ in R.V. parks, first for one month and eventually staying longer enjoying old and new friends who wintered in Arizona.
Dick & Betty decided they needed more room so they built a condo in a 55-and-older community call Verde Groves in Mesa. They moved into the condo in March 2000 and loved the space and looked forward to entertaining family and friends. Betty remembers the great neighbors and how they enjoyed the many activities in their beautiful clubhouse
Dick’s primary hobby was working on his boat and cruising.. He purchased the family’s first boat, the “Sea Dog” in 1964, a 1929 classic Grandy, which he spent several years restoring.
Captain Best joined Queen City Yacht Club in 1967. Dick served as Chairman of the Radio Committee in 1971 and on the Moorage Committee in 1988 and worked on many of the work parties building the Winslow outstation. For all his years as a member, Dick was our unofficial “Telephone Officer”! Queen City always had up-to-date telephone service – if there was a problem with the phone, notify Dick! After retirement, Dick was a stalwart regular at the Round Table & loved visiting there with his friends at the club. The family cruised for many years in the San Juans, Canadian Gulf Islands, Desolation Sound and Princess Louisa Inlet. In the mid-seventies Dick sold the Grandy and bought a 34’ Fairliner named “Karaway” and named the dingy “Seedy”. Betty recalls that the Fairliner was quite a change. It went 21 knots and had a shower and many new comforts. The last boat Dick and Betty owned was manufactured in Canada, a 34’ Prowler built to Dick’s specifications. They took delivery of her in July 1986. They enjoyed 20 more years of cruising on the Prowler venturing many new places and enjoyed several trips to Sullivan Bay to visit Sallie & Don Filer. The Bests sold the Karaway in November 2005 as Dick’s health was declining. Betty & family are grateful to everyone who contributed many years of Queen City's hospitality to Dick and to our family.
He is survived by Betty his wife of 52 years, son, Ken Best of Bellevue and daughter, Kari Cutbirth of Louisville, CO. The Best family would like to thank all those who have offered their loving support during Dick's long illness.
Brott, Gerald
1915 – 2007
Captain Gerald Brott passed away peacefully on Feb. 6, 2007and would have been 92 on Feb 11. Gerald was born in Longmont, Colorado and lived in Seattle most of his life.
Captain Brott graduated from the University of Washington where he rowed on the lightweight crew. He was retired from Boeing in the early 80s where was an engineering manager. He loved the Northwest, and was a lifelong boater and member of Queen City. In retirement, he remained active, cruising the world with his loving wife Minabel.
Gerald joined Queen City in 1959 and was a very active participant in the club. He was in charge of the Sunday Cruises in 1960 and 1961 and was also Fleet Captain in 1961 and 1962. Gerald was Chair of Yachting Facilities, the forerunner of ship’s stores, (except that it was a hardware and boating supply store) in 1962 and 1963 and also Regatta Chairman in 1965 and 1966. He was active in the US Coast Guard Auxiliary during the 1961 to 1971 decade.
The Brott family cruised for years in the “B’s Bali Ha’I”, a 34’ Richardson powered by twin 125 hp Chryslers.
Gerry is survived by his loving wife, Minabel; children, Gerald Brott (wife Nikki), and Reed Brott (wife Linda), and grandson, David Brott.
Hurlbut, David B.
1922 – 2007
Dr. David B. Hurlbut crossed the bar at the age of 84, on May 17, 2007. He was born July 29, 1922 in Santa Barbara, California. After receiving a BA from UC Berkley in 1943, he enlisted in the army. He fought as a member of the 161st infantry, 25th Division, in the Battle of Luzon in WWII and received the Purple Heart.
After the war, David attended UW where he received his M.D. in 1951. While at the University, David met Anne Gayhart, his future wife of almost 60 years, on a blind date. Anne was David’s cousin’s roommate, also at UW. Dr. Hurlbut and Anne were blessed with two daughters, Virginia and Joy. The family lived on Mercer Island for almost 50 years. Unfortunately, Anne also died this year in March.
Dr. Hurlbut served his internship in the US Public Health Service in Chicago, and took residency training in surgery in Boston, New York and Seattle. He completed a Fellowship in surgery with Dr. Joel W. Baker at the Mason Clinic prior to entering private practice. He was a member of the American College of Surgeons. Dr. Hurlbut was a partner in the Issaquah Medical Clinic and was on House Staff at Virginia Mason Hospital for 28 years, including serving as Medical Staff President in 1985 and 1986. Dr. Hurlbut was an extraordinarily dedicated physician – his colleagues said that he should get the “Grand Rounds” award for dedication and perseverance in maintaining currency by attending, even after his retirement in the late ‘80s, all available lectures and forums to update and maintain current medical knowledge.
Queen City old-timers remember David giving shots to returning WW II soldiers who had been exposed to malaria, TB, small pox, “social diseases” etc., etc. One time, due to overcrowding at the UW Hospital, Dr. Hurlbut was seen giving shots to long lines of soldiers outside the hospital on the sidewalk!
He was known for his integrity, intelligence, humor, humanity and enthusiastic interest in everything. His family, friends, patients and colleagues remember him as an outstanding good, professional, quiet, kind and capable man.
David joined Queen City in 1969. At that time until 1995, the Hurlbuts owned the “Laurel”, a 1920’s fifty foot Admiral’s Barge, which was converted to a pleasure boat in the 1920s and at one point was used as a rum runner. It was powered by a huge CAT 43 which Dr. Hurlbut called “Old Yeller”. The CAT needed a built-in “pony” starter engine which was a bit infamous around the club due to the tremendous noise it made while starting the CAT 43 which was much quieter! David owned the property next to the club that is now populated by floating homes and “Dock Zero”. He offered it to the club for very favorable terms, a fraction of its value today, when the time came for him to sell the property, but at the time, the club could not afford it. His daughter Virginia remembers cruising up to extended-family owned Clio Island, near the entrance to Jervis Inlet, every year where the family would spend at least two weeks and then three to four weeks after Dr.Hurlbut’s retirement. In 1995, Captain Hurlbut sold the “Laurel” to a farmer in Idaho who placed it next to his swimming pool and converted the boat into a playhouse for grandchildren! David then bought the “Kliokanaka”, a beautiful 36’ Grand Banks that the family cruised through last year and had planned to travel North again this summer.
Dr. Hurlbut served officially on the Grounds Committee in 1996 through 1998 and was unofficially the primary keeper and trimmer of the hedge along our entrance drive for many years. He attended the “Pride in Queen City” work party this year at age 84 and was pruning the hedge up until last year when he was so pleased to see someone else had taken on that duty.
He is survived by his daughters, Virginia Harris (David), Joy Kemppainen, and his grandson, David Conor Harris. Virginia has applied for membership in Queen City. A private family memorial is planned at Arlington National Cemetery.
