Lucius Horatio Biglow Jr.

1925 - 2015

Lucius Horatio Biglow, Jr.

Lucius Horatio Biglow, Jr. passed away on June 8th, 2015 at age 90 due to squamous cell carcinoma. He was resident at the Park Shore Retirement Community in Seattle for the past year, and had lived in Medina, overlooking Lake Washington since 1957. 'Loosh' was born 2/9/1925 in South Orange, NJ to Lucius Horatio Biglow [Yale '08] and Marian Chandler Yeaw [Smith College '11]. He spent his childhood in Old Lyme, CT, attending the local school and the First Congregational Church of Old Lyme. He was a camper and counselor at Camp Pasquaney in New Hampshire, where his father had been a counselor many years before, and where he was inspired to attend Phillips Academy Andover [Class of '42]. At the end of his first year at Andover, he was awarded the Sullivan Prize, for the greatest improvement in scholarship within his class. At Yale, he was a member of the unique class of '45W, interrupted by WWII. After two years of Yale, Loosh enlisted in the Army, fought in the Battle of the Bulge and managed a hotel in Berchtesgaden, Bavaria on behalf of the US Army during the Occupation. He returned to Yale, graduating with his class in 1948. During this time of his life, he was an A-rated squash player. He went on to Harvard Law School [Class of '52] and married Nancy Wheatland in the Harvard Memorial Church on 4/25/1953. They just celebrated their 62nd wedding anniversary. After beginning his career practicing law with Winthrop, Stimson, Putnam & Roberts on Wall Street, he and Nancy drove across the country, and moved to Seattle in 1954. He worked at the law firm then known as Holman, Mickelwait, Marion, Black and Perkins, and subsequently as in-house counsel for Puget Sound Power & Light Company. He was appointed to the City of Medina Planning Commission by Norton Clapp, and later served on the Medina City Council.

Much of his civic life revolved around St. Thomas Church in Medina. He was a Sunday school teacher for teens in the late 1950s under Arthur Vall-Spinosa, served on the Vestry, as a lay reader, and sang in the choir over five decades. He served on the St. Thomas Day School board of trustees, with Ron Smallman as principal. He was a founder and supporter of the Crystal Mountain Chapel and an avid skier, especially with his kids and colleagues. Also a sailor, he cared for his Blanchard Junior Knockabout 'Footloose', in the 1950s from the boatyard at Leschi, and later sailed from Meydenbauer Bay. He often joined friends for sailboat races out of Shilshole Marina on Puget Sound, some on weekday evenings, and some overnight, including the Swiftsure race out of Victoria BC. He always seemed to be taking pictures or movies of family, friends and special occasions. He loved sports, watching as well as playing; both he and his father played football while at Yale. Also at Yale, Loosh wrestled and played lacrosse. He was instrumental in starting the first lacrosse team at the Lakeside School for his sons who were enrolled there, with the first paid coach and the beginnings of a playing league among other schools. He followed and supported the competitive rowing career of his son, John, through Yale, and then on the US National team. He volunteered for and played major roles in support of Seattle Gilbert & Sullivan Society, the Seattle Visiting Nurse Association and Amigos de las Americas. He often provided charitable legal help for close friends who could not pay, and brought food to a Seattle homeless shelter.

But his real love and passion, was always for singing. He sang in the choir at Andover, and at Yale. He was manager of the Yale Glee Club, and member/business manager of the '47 Yale Whiffenpoofs. He served recently on the board of Yale Whiffenpoof Alumni, Inc. He was a faithful attendee of Yale reunions in New Haven, and hosted Whiff singing weekend reunions in Chatham, MA at the family house known as 'Windward'. He organized and helped to produce the Seems Like Old Times [SLOT] CD of previously unrecorded Whiffenpoof songs under the direction of Fenno Heath. He could recall song lyrics that he had heard only once years ago, and could recite complete verses of hymns, songs and poems as if he were reading them from a book. He gave musical support, inspiration and enthusiasm to his son Tim's co-founding of the Stanford Fleet Street Singers. Loosh was the last surviving member of his '45W Whiffenpoof group. Both he, and his father before him, kept their grandfather clocks on SBT. Loosh kept in touch with family, and friends too numerous to count. He is survived by his wife Nancy in Medina, WA, Luke in Concord, NH, John in Concord, MA, Tim in Los Altos, CA, and Anne on Bainbridge Island, WA, along with four grandchildren.

A memorial service will be held at St. Thomas Episcopal Church in Medina on Wednesday, June 17th at 2pm. Burial will be in Topsfield, MA in a private cemetery near River Road, at a time yet to be determined.

Friends are invited to view photos, get directions and share memories in the family's online guest book at www.FLINTOFTS.com. Flintoft's Funeral Home and Crematory, 425-392-6444.