Former council member Cheryl Chow:
Cheryl Chow, one of the most respected Asian-American leaders in Western Washington, died Friday after a long battle with brain cancer, her family members have confirmed. She was 66...
In August 2012, Chow revealed on KING 5 that she was gay—a secret she kept her whole life. At the time, she and her partner Sarah Morningstar had been together more than 10 years.
Before she came out publicly, chow shared her news with her beloved drill team. “I wanted them to have a role model that wasn't afraid to say anymore 'I'm gay and that's okay,’” she said... "But if I can save one child from feeling bad or even committing suicide because they were gay, then I would have succeeded in my last crusade,” Chow said.
Blair Butterworth served, over a 36-year period, as a political consultant and strategist for Washington governors, helped topple a governor whose campaign he had managed, and worked for mayoral candidates and such causes as Washington’s “Death with Dignity” Initiative 1000 in 2008.
Butterworth has died of cancer after a lengthy illness. His death was disclosed Friday afternoon on the Facebook page of U.S. Rep. Denny Heck, who described his longtime friend as “a class act to the end.” Butterworth was a tall, imposing, deep-voiced presence, a person who managed to act a bit self-important while poking fun at himself for acting a bit self-important.
Rest in peace, you guys.
