Read first time 03/21/13.   

     WHEREAS, Our nation and our state have lost an outstanding public servant, a distinguished leader, and a man of great warmth and compassion with the passing this week of the 19th governor of Washington, William Booth Gardner; and
     WHEREAS, In adhering to the honorable principles that guided him throughout his life, Booth Gardner fashioned an exemplary record of accomplishment that should serve as an inspiration to us all; and
     WHEREAS, His stature as a community leader, governor, and crusader for human dignity will surely grow in the years to come; and
     WHEREAS, William Booth Gardner was born in Tacoma on August 21, 1936, and after high school enrolled at the University of Washington; and
     WHEREAS, While an undergraduate, Booth Gardner coached and tutored underprivileged children at parks and recreation centers in Seattle, where he said, "I realized I could make a difference in people's lives," a lesson he was to keep with him throughout his career; and
     WHEREAS, Booth Gardner earned a bachelor's degree in business administration at the University of Washington, and later a master's degree in business administration at Harvard University; and
     WHEREAS, In 1970, Booth Gardner was elected to the Washington State Senate from Pierce County; and
     WHEREAS, After leaving public service to help manage his family's extensive business interests, he returned in 1981 when he was elected as the first Pierce County executive; and
     WHEREAS, He cleaned up a corruption-riddled county government and also set its fiscal house in order, turning a budget deficit into a surplus; and
     WHEREAS, Booth Gardner challenged the incumbent governor in the 1984 election and, running as "Booth Who?", won the contest; and
     WHEREAS, Booth Gardner served two terms as governor and established an outstanding record in the office; and
     WHEREAS, Governor Gardner was a tireless advocate for public education, including early childhood education, and helped establish the Running Start program for high school students to earn college credits; and
     WHEREAS, Governor Gardner was a leader in health reform and successfully advocated for creation of the state Basic Health Plan; and
     WHEREAS, Governor Gardner cherished our state's natural beauty and moved to protect the waters of Puget Sound from pollution and our rural areas from uncontrolled development, and he worked to limit contamination from the Hanford nuclear site; and
     WHEREAS, Governor Gardner served as a true champion of civil rights, ordering an end to discrimination on the basis of sexual preference in state employment and acting to boost the pay of thousands of woman workers in state government who were victims of salary discrimination; and
     WHEREAS, After completing his terms as governor, Booth Gardner served his nation as presidential ambassador to an international trade organization in Geneva, Switzerland; and
     WHEREAS, After he was diagnosed with Parkinson's disease, he led the successful 2008 initiative drive for a "Death with Dignity" assisted-suicide law, even though it would not apply to him; and
     WHEREAS, Booth Gardner was frugal in his personal life, but gave generously to charities that aided disadvantaged youth and alcohol-dependent men and women; and
     WHEREAS, He loved the Frisko Freeze in Tacoma and other fast-food outlets, but he was also passionate about physical fitness; and
     WHEREAS, Booth Gardner was known for his sly sense of humor, his gregarious nature, his optimism and idealism, and an appeal his hometown newspaper described as "cuddly";
     NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, By the House of Representatives of the state of Washington, the Senate concurring, That the life, the work, and the lasting legacy of William Booth Gardner be celebrated; and
     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That copies of this resolution be immediately transmitted by the Chief Clerk of the House of Representatives to the family of William Booth Gardner and to the University of Washington.