Wylie Miller Hemphill

Lifelong Seattle resident and Bainbridge summer resident Wylie Miller Hemphill, age 84, died Feb. 2.

He was born in Seattle on Jan. 16, 1918 to Wylie and Mayme Hemphill.

He attended Roosevelt High School and received his B.A. from the University of Washington, where he joined Beta Theta Pi and was elected to Phi Beta Kappa.

After receiving his law degree from Stanford and the University of Washington, he joined the law firm of Preston Thorgrimson.

His career was interrupted by WWII. He was Executive Officer of LST 491, which crossed the English Channel of D-Day. He served in both the European and Pacific theaters, rising to the rank of Lt. Commander.

After the war, he became a partner of Riddell, Riddell & Hemphill. He practiced law until his father’s death in 1949, after which he took over Hemphill Brothers Inc., the family mining business, and Hemphill Oil Company.

His activities in the Episcopal church included chairing the Jubilee Fund Drive for Camp Huston and participating in the Cursillo movement.

He was also awarded the Bishop’s Cross.

He attended Epiphany Church, St. Mark’s Cathedral and St. Barnabas on Bainbridge Island.

He served on the board of Rainier Bank and Unigard Insurance for many years.

He was past president of the Rainier Club and a member of the Monday Club, Rotary Club, the 101 Club, the SOR, the 505 Club, the WAC, the 380 Club and the Last Man’s Club.

He was preceded in death by his wife Alexa, son Wylie Gibson, daughter Alexa Patricia and granddaughter Rachel.

He is survived by his wife Marjorie; sister Mary Pinkham; daughter Gair (Rick) Crutcher; son Thomas (Barbara); stepsons Christopher James and Jonathan Stuart; stepdaughter Eve Alyson (Yuki) Ishizuka and seven grandchildren: Joan, Luke, Timothy, Wesley, Joshua, Teagan and Emiko.

Services will be at 2 p.m. Feb. 8 at St. Mark’s Cathedral in Seattle, with a reception to follow in Bloedel Hall.

Remembrances can be made to St. Mark’s Cathedral or a charity of the donor’s choice.