Philip Leslie Kallsen
Published July 6, 2014
Philip Leslie Kallsen
Like his baby-boomer cohorts, Phil Kallsen spent the 1950s with Mickey Mouse, Scrooge McDuck and a shockingly messy school desk. Phil’s plan was to work for Walt Disney, cranking out celluloid cells at the rate of (12 frames per second). The morning after a parent-teacher conference, Phil discovered a note in his desk: “get to work.” Over time, Phil internalized Pop Kallsen’s credo:
“Work is the thing that makes
men sing.”
Phil never stopped working and, thanks to his mother Mavis who nurtured his creative side, he never stopped having fun. As it turned out, Phil didn’t work for Walt. He was one of the fortunate few: self employed in a career he loved, he would shape his clients’ visions into their brick and mortar dreams.
In the late 1960s, Phil graduated from the University Of Washington School of Architecture. He went to work for Binden and Wright in Seattle and learned the biz from his mentor George Hartman. It was 1972 when he met Peggy, the love of his life, and the woman he always called “honey-pie.” They married in 1977 and ever since have enjoyed sunsets, sea breezes, eagles and the occasional osprey from the deck of their home on Vashon Island, WA.
Among his many hobbies, Phil loved mountain climbing, fly-fishing, topiary and beach preservation.
Phil is survived by his four favorite women: wife Peggy and daughters Shannon, Melissa, and Robin Kallsen. He is also survived by his siblings Bunny (Larry West), Laurie (Kinne Hawes), Maryann (Michael Deblasi) and Ron Kallsen. He was Uncle Phil to many, Santa to hundreds and a geoduck digging hall-of-famer to all who knew him well.
… If I ventured in the slipstream
between the viaduct of your dreams
where immobile steal rims crack
and the ditch in the back roads stop
… Could you find me?
A memorial service will be held at Vashon Island Presbyterian Church at 11:00 am on Saturday August 9th, 2014. Reception following. In lieu of flowers, please make a donation to Tacoma Mountaineers (tacomamountaineers.org).
Please visit our online guest book at www.islandfuneral.com.
Paid Obituary.