Loren D. Prescott 1928 – 2006

Loren D. Prescott died November 19, 2006 at the age of 77. He was born in Seattle, Washington and graduated from Garfield High School in 1947. After earning degrees in Accounting and Law from the University of Washington, he opened his own law practice in 1959. He was a founding member of the Seattle Tax Group. During his fifty years of law practice in Seattle, he established himself as one of the most well respected business and tax lawyers in Western Washington.

Loren may be better known to many long time PSIA-NW members as a former president of this organization and a two term president of PSIA national. As president, he represented PSIA at the Zao, Japan Interski in 1979. Current PSIA National Board Representative from the Northwest (and fellow lawyer), John Weston, remembers Loren “as a man of his word. If he said he was going to do something, you could count on him to get it done”.

He was an avid and accomplished Skier. As a member of the Garfield High School Ski Team he won the All City Four-Way Ski Competition held at Snoqualmie Summit in the spring of 1947. He went on to pursue ski teaching as an avocation, becoming one of the first ski instructors in the Northwest to earn his Full Certification (Cert #28).

He became active in PNSIA, chairing the first Symposium held in 1958 at White Pass. Moving into the president’s position (1972-1973), he chaired the first Ski School Director’s Meeting. He also served as the PSIA National Rep in the mid-70’s prior to becoming the PSIA president. PSIA-NW awarded him a lifetime membership in

1986. In addition to his teaching and work with the Instructor’s organizations, he was also involved in the formation and operation of the SKIFORALL Foundation. Established in 1978, SKIFORALL provides recreational opportunities to over 1800 children and adults with disabilities.

His impact on the community also extended beyond these contributions in the areas of law and ski teaching. Loren worked with others in 1973 to found the Centrum Foundation, the nationally recognized arts and creativity center located at Fort Worden State Park in Port Townsend, Washington. During his three terms as president of Centrum, he guided their organization through a multi-million dollar capital campaign that funded the conversion of an historic Balloon Hanger into the 1400 seat McCurdy Pavilion Performing Arts Center.

Loren is survived by his wife of fifty-four years, Barbara McDonald Prescott, three children, three grandchildren and a brother. Loren loved cruising the American San Juan and Canadian Gulf Islands with his family on his boat, the Indigo. A Memorial Service celebrating his life will be held in the Spring in Friday Harbor, Washington. Memorial contributions may be made to the Soroptimist International of Friday Harbor’s Cancer Relief Fund, P.O. Box 2856, Friday Harbor, WA 98250