You start out in school and have classmates, acquaintances and friends. And if you're lucky, some become lifelong special friends. After school you enter the workforce and have co-workers, acquaintances and bosses. And if you're lucky, some become lifelong special friends.

I first met Sim Wilson in the 1960s through our newspaper careers. I was working for the Snohomish Tribune and Sim, of course, was here in Marysville.

In 1977 I left the newspaper business and accepted a position as the Administrative Assistant to the chairman of the House Natural Resources Committee, John Martinis, Democrat, from Everett. How fortunate I was that the ranking minority member of that committee was Sim Wilson.

Two years when the House was split 49-49, I became the Administrative Assistant to the Chairmen of the House Transportation Committee, Martinis and Wilson. In 1981 when the Republicans took control of the Legislature, I worked for Sim and John. And two years later when the Democrats took over, I worked for Sim and John.

While some wondered how I could serve two masters of different political parties, I was fortunate that these legislators worked for the people, not the party. They worked together in a very constructive manner to get legislation passed that benefited the citizens. And after Martinis left the Legislature, Sim worked with Senator Larry Vognild (D) on issues affecting this area.

For Sim there was never a Republican or Democrat bill. If it was beneficial to a majority of his constituents, he supported the legislation. And during another fiscal crisis for the state in 1981m, Sim supported tax increases so that vital services would not face horrendous cuts. This is a far cry from today, when both those in Olympia and the other Washington don't seem to work together. Sim, Martinis and Vognild were real leaders.

In Olympia I observed legislators who made things happen, those who watched things happen, and those who wondered what happened. Sim Wilson, as well as the other two, was in the first category.

It was during this period of my life that my boss became a very special and lifelong friend. After I accepted a position with the Snohomish County Council in 1984, I continued the close friendship with Sim. We started having lunch once a week, and soon it became an everyday occurrence until he moved to Kitsap County. After that we had lunch a couple of times a week. We never lacked for conversation-talking about our early days in the printing business, local events and politics.

My lifelong, very special friend has left a huge footprint on the community. He was very proud of Marysville and very supportive of many community events, and also bond and levy issues for schools, fire departments, etc.

I found a saying recently that I feel really sums up the Sim Wilson I knew and was proud to call a very special friend, and with whom I spent so many wonderful moments.

Memories are like treasures time cannot take away

So may we be surrounded by happy ones today?

May all the love and tenderness of golden days and years well spent

Come back today to fill our hearts with beauty and content?

And may we walk down memory lane and meet the ones we love?

For while we cannot see them, they'll be watching from above.

So, for their sakes, be happy and show them that their love

Has proven strong enough and big enough to reach down from above.

The loss I feel today can in no way compare to the sorrow felt by his wife, Karen, children Mike and Maren, and stepchildren Geoff and Gavin. But I shall forever miss this very special man I was proud to know for so many years, and one I considered a very special friend.



Don Wlazlak

Marysville

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