James Edward Peck, 94, was a prolific watercolor painter, graphic designer, and ceramic artist, with works in many museums and private collections across the country. He was better known for teaching and influencing other artists. He headed the fine arts department at Cornish College for several years, and taught at the Burnley School of Art (a predecessor of the Art Institute of Seattle). He also served as a graphic designer at Boeing, and belonged to the Puget Sound Group of Northwest Painters. Peck died on September 15 after years of decline, which included muscular degeneration that hindered his artistic work.
Merle B. McKaig, 87, was a violinist, a music teacher, and (for 32 years) an acoustical engineer at Boeing. In 1953 he cofounded McKaig Electronics, a local company that patented the first "instant replay" audio tape recorder (a boon to stenographers, legal transcribers, and conceptual artists everywhere). As a musician, he performed with the Seattle Symphony, the Seattle Philharmonic, Seattle Pacific University's Thalia Symphony, Philharmonia Northwest, and several other groups. He taught with the Bellevue Youth Symphony and the Olympic Music Camp, working with individual students as well. Along the way he also managed to study advanced mathematics and write a book about Boolean algebra. Relatives report that he played his violin on his last day on Earth, August 7.
The Renton Highlands branch of Dixon's Used Furniture closed up shop on September 21, leaving scads of queen-sized mattress sets and loveseats for patrons of its Capitol Hill store at 12th and Pine.