Rex Allison, Developer Of Northgate Mall, Dies

Rex Allison, a principal developer of Northgate shopping center and one-time supervisor of all Allied Stores west of the Mississippi, died Sunday in Scottsdale, Ariz., where he had lived since leaving Seattle in 1966.

The Kentucky native was just 29 days short of his 80th birthday.

Allison was a graduate of the University of Kentucky, which named him to its Hall of Distinguished Alumni in 1965. He was a Navy lieutenant in the Pacific during World War II.

Allison worked for Allied Stores Corp. for 40 years. For more than 20 years, he was senior vice president of the corporation. Among the stores he supervised was the Bon Marche in Seattle.

In 1951, Allison helped develop Northgate as the ``first comprehensive shopping center in the United States.'' A new Bon Marche became one of its mainstays.

Allison was a director of the former National Bank of Commerce in Seattle. He also served as a founding director of Continental Bank of Phoenix, Ariz., and was a founder of the Phoenix Country Day School, for which he endowed the Allison Chair to honor outstanding faculty members.

He was active in the Arabian Horse Association in Scottsdale, where he operated Allison Arabians.

In the 1970s, Allison acquired a large tract of land on the south slopes of the McDowell Mountains, near Scottsdale. After the land was annexed to the city, Allison helped pass a hillside ordinance to preserve the land's natural beauty.

In addition to his wife, Genevieve, he is survived by two sons, Rex Allison Jr., of Bellevue, and Ken Allison of Scottsdale; three daughters, Ann O'Connell of Salt Lake City, Gen Griffin of Hawaii, and Geri Smith of San Diego; and 10 grandchildren.

A memorial service is to be held tomorrow in St. Barnabas Desert Church, Paradise Valley, Ariz.

The family suggests memorials to the Arizona Kidney Foundation, 3249 E. Indian School Road, No. 2, Phoenix, Ariz., 85018.