Frank Mizer, IBM Administrator, Pioneer In Thai Cuisine In Seattle

Frank Mizer walked with ease in many cultures.

Besides English, he spoke Bengali and Thai as well as the cooking colloquialisms of lovers of fine cuisine.

The Rama House and later the Rama on Post (Alley), restaurants that he and his wife founded, not only helped establish Thai cuisine in Seattle but also attracted a variety of clients, including celebrities.

"He just had such an intense appetite for learning, about other cultures and other people," said his son, Mark Mizer of Kirkland.

"Dad was the type of guy I want to strive to become. He was our father who gave us guidance, but he was also our good friend. We were never scared to tell him anything."

Mr. Mizer died of cancer last Saturday (Jan. 25). He was 56.

Born in Denver, he attended high school in Roswell, N.M., earned a business-administration degree at The Colorado College in Colorado Springs, then spent two years traveling the country and holding jobs with the U.S. Forest Service.

He served in the Peace Corps in East Pakistan from 1963 to 1965, then taught English in Thailand. Within three months he married one of his students and moved with her back to Colorado, where he joined the Army Reserve and began his 28-year-career as an administration and operations manager for IBM.

A job transfer brought him in Kirkland in 1973. He retired from IBM two years ago.

"In 1982 my dad and mom opened up Rama House on Second Avenue and Bell Street, and it was the first Thai restaurant in Seattle," said his daughter, Michelle Mizer of Kirkland. "It was extremely successful. There were lines out the door.

"Madonna was one of our first (customers), when she did her `Like a Virgin' tour."

Other celebrity visitors included actors Kevin Bacon, Ed O'Neill from TV's "Married with Children" and Drew Barrymore.

Mr. Mizer spent evenings and weekends working with restaurant guests and employees, keeping the books and working at community festivals such as Bumbershoot.

With all his love for learning and other cultures, he had a streak of pure fantasy, said his son, Mark: "In my garage I have 6,000 of his science-fiction books. He kept every one he'd read since he was 15.

"He loved `Star Wars.' When he worked downtown when the movie first came out, he'd go to work early Saturdays and take me, and we'd go see `Star Wars.' We saw it many times."

Other survivors include his wife of 31 years, La-Iad Mizer of Kirkland; his mother, Dorothy Mizer; and brother and sister, Steve Mizer and Margaret Mizer, all of Denver; and two grandchildren.

Services were held. Memorials may go to the American Cancer Society, East King County Unit, 14450 N.E. 29th Place, Suite, 220, Bellevue, WA, 98007.