Cecil P. Callison, Former UW Track Star, Businessman And Legislator
Dawn is melting into day
Sky is dripping, dripping gray
Stars are fading fast away
That's part of a poem that appeared in advertising for Pacific Northwest evergreens sold to wholesale florists throughout the U.S. by Callison's Inc. of Seattle.
Something whipped up by the ad department?
No, one of many stanzas composed by Cecil P. Callison, a former University of Washington track star, avid amateur golfer and astronomer, business innovator, former legislator - and poet.
Callison died April 7 at his home after a long bout with Parkinson's disease. He was 87. At his request there were no funeral services.
``He was funny, compassionate, successful - a kind of renaissance-type of man,'' said Walter Clayton, president of Callison's Inc. ``He started the whole Northwest natural greens business, which now represents about $40 million to $45 million a year statewide involving half a dozen companies.''
The Chehalis native competed in the long jump, high jump and pole vault for the UW in the early 1920s. He tied for first in the pole vault in the Coast and Northwest conferences meet in 1922 with a vault of 12 feet, 1 1/2 inches and was considered a candidate for the 1924 Olympics until he broke a wrist. He was a member of Sigma Nu fraternity.
He went to work for his father, I.P. Callison, founder of the Chehalis-based firm that supplied cascara, digitalis, peppermint and spearmint oil to pharmaceutical houses and other manufacturers.
It was while tramping Pacific Northwest forests, keeping a diary as he looked for cascara as far away as Vancouver Island, that Callison got the idea the ferns would make a good accent for floral arrangements.
Callison's Inc., first headquartered at Port Orchard, was formed in 1927, distributing wild huckleberry greens and other evergreens in grocery stores and later through wholesale florists all over the country.
The firm expanded to Christmas decorations, including wreaths, cones and boughs.
Callison, a lifelong Democrat and friend of the late Sens. Warren Magnuson and Henry Jackson, served in the Legislature from Port Orchard's 23rd District in 1939 and 1940. When the family returned to Chehalis, he was an unsuccessful Democratic candidate in 1942 for Congress from the 3rd Congressional District.
He was a former member of the Democratic State Central Committee and served as finance chairman for the 1954 election of U.S. Rep. Don Magnuson.
In 1945 Callison moved his company's headquarters to Seattle. Three years earlier he had become president of I.P. Callison & Sons Inc. In 1961 he became board chairman and continued that role until last year, when he became chairman emeritus.
In 1958 Callison and his wife, Corinne, bought a Seattle landmark, the 18th-century-Italian-style Albert J. Rhodes mansion on Capitol Hill overlooking Lake Union.
In his 40s, Callison took up golf and was an avid golfer, playing nearly every day and winning club championships at Broadmoor Golf Club, of which he was a member. He also was a member of the Thunderbird Golf and Country Club, Rancho Mirage, Calif.
Besides writing poems, Callison also studied the stars and loved history.
``He was interested in the universe,'' said Judith Trethewey McCabe of Seattle, a daughter.
Besides his wife and daughter, Callison is survived by another daughter, Sharon Burgett of Sussex, England; two brothers, Dr. R. Donald Callison of Seattle and Henry Callison of Sunnyside, Yakima County; eight grandchildren and six great-grandchildren.
The family suggests memorial contributions to the Seattle Art Museum or Lakeside School.