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Paul Dorpat greets friends at his 83rd birthday celebration
By Clay Eals
Because the Seattle Times has postponed the “Now & Then” column this weekend and next, for this week’s post we present an audiovisual account of the 83rd birthday celebration of column founder, legendary historian and avuncular contrarian Paul Dorpat!
The party, publicized on Paul’s Facebook page, was held Friday afternoon, Oct. 29, 2021, in the entry courtyard of Paul’s home, Providence Heritage House at the Market on Western Avenue downtown. The two-hour outdoor event took place one day after Paul’s actual birthday to avoid heavy rains.
The celebration included champagne (including the popping of a cork), cake, a round of “Happy Birthday” and a reading of Facebook comments from those who were not able to attend.
The 23-1/2-minute birthday video (above) encompasses the significant moments of the celebration. More than 15 people attended, including (in alphabetical order) Kurt Armbruster, Joe Breskin, Rose Bushnell (who lived in the same apartment building as Paul in the 1970s), Clay Eals, Ron Edge, Buddy Foley, Patrick Ford, Marga Rose Hancock, Rena Ilumin, Howard Lev, Scott Rohrer, Jean Sherrard and Philip (Flip) Wells.
Apologies in advance for our dereliction in not knowing the names of a couple other friends who attended. If any of you dear blog readers can fill us in by sending us a comment, we would greatly appreciate it, and we will promptly add missing names.
Below, we add several still photos from Jean’s able lens. Thanks to everyone who came. We wish Paul another happy year in the city whose history he has chronicled vividly, with humor and verve!
Hi, Happy Happy Birthday, I was born in Seattle in 1947 and have two of your books, thanks more than words can ever say for loving our wonderful city, you are truly a treasure!! Always Bill L
This courtyard may be the definitive location of where Mark Tobey would uncork a flask of brandy from within his overcoat and offer a raised arm toast to the passing ghost of a wizened old Suquamish lady with a woven basket full of “kept clams.” I think I see her in the corner of one of his 1940s era pastiches. I raise my own flask at the sight of Paul in his historical eminence, skol! from a Ballard historian and longtime fellow Market flâneur.
Thank you for throwing such a nice birthday party for Paul. Thank you, Paul, for all the fun word-throwing and history lectures!
Paul…thanks to you, so many are inspired at capturing the spirit of then and now and more important…understand it’s importance! You are a treasure! your former Wallingford neighbor in the 1980’s …Kevin Tomlinson and judy kaplan