Gary Sortun (1943 - 2004)

We will remember Gary's miraculous determination to beat cancer twice to live to see his youngest daughter graduate from High School. By fulfilling his dream he has inspired all of us to seek to fulfill ours.

Education: Bachelor of Architecture, University of Washington, 1966

Registration: State of Washington, 1969

Background: Gary grew up locally and entered college with the goal of pursuing a career in art, then turned to architecture as a practical way to achieve this goal. He lived in a classic Bungalow, which he had enjoyed remodeling perpetually. His home was featured in 'The House Next Door', by Lila Gault, as a fine example of Seattle's neighborhood architecture. Gary was quiet, persistent and holistic in his thinking; details always fit a clear big picture. He was driven by a love of design and a strong value system. His favorite roles at Sortun·Vos were conceptual design work and sketching.

Gary led his community in their struggle to convert a bridge from automobile to pedestrian use, to create traffic diverters and a neighborhood park, and to convert the neighborhood school (closed due to declining enrollment) into seniors' housing and community center. Gary served as board member of Environmental Works, a non-profit development and design services agency serving disadvantaged in Western Washington, from 1976 through 1996, and served as President for two terms. He was an active member of University Congregational Housing Association, a non-profit provider of housing for people of need.

Experience: Gary began working for A.O. Bumgardner in 1967, and became an Associate member of that firm as it grew from 4 to about 25 people. During his employment he was Project Architect for several significant projects including: Seattle's Central Waterfront Park; an Applied and Arts and Sciences Building at WWU; Prefabricated Housing for the Alaska market; and Master Plan for Becker's Ocean Resort at Kalaloch Beach on Washington's coast. After gaining experience in all phases of architectural practice, including directing personnel, Gary established his own practice in 1974.

Since the beginning, Gary was involved in all phases of architectural practice. As the office grew, he enjoyed staying involved in nearly every project, working as a team member and attempting to inspire and guide others toward consistently good results.

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