Tom Rasmussen remembers Jeanette Williams |
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| Tom Rasmussen remembers Jeanette Williams | |
| by Tom Rasmussen -
Courtesy of Seattle City Council Jeanette Williams Memorial Service November 5, 2 PM Town Hall The urgent calls and e-mail messages began Saturday morning. The first was that former Seattle City Councilmember Jeanette Williams was in the hospital gravely ill. The next message was from her son saying that she died Friday evening. Jeanette's health had been declining. She had been in and out of the hospital over the past few months. I stayed in touch by telephone. Usually we discussed Magnuson Park issues. She was very concerned that the Mayor was making recommendations that were inconsistent with the plans and visions for the Park. Her son called me the day before she died saying that she wanted assurances that nothing the City was doing would result in the park reverting to the federal government. I told him that there was no risk of that happening and that I was doing all I could to ensure that the vision and plans which she had worked on for many years would be fulfilled. I was one of Jeanette's legislative assistants for three of her five terms in office. She was a powerful leader who took on some of the most challenging and controversial City issues in the 1970s and 1980s. I deeply respected Jeanette Williams and I was fortunate to have worked for such a progressive and hard working person who always put the City first. A memorial service will be held for her on Wednesday, November 5th at 2:00 p.m. at Town Hall located at Eighth Avenue and Seneca Street. |
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