George Dart, A Model Of Decency

To his wife, George Thomas Dart "never said `no' and tried everything once," from living aboard a classic wooden boat on Lake Union to jetting to Paris at a moment's notice.

To his daughter, he represented the history and integrity of a respected pioneer family in Spokane County.

And to his son, Mr. Dart not only was a model of decency, able to seal deals with a handshake, but an innovative businessman.

"He was one of the first people in the heavy-machinery business to use light aircraft to fly a client somewhere like Denver to see a piece of equipment rather than try and move it," said his son, George H. Dart of Bellevue. "We also got involved in the personal-computer industry early. . . . And we were experimenting with hand-held FM radio telephones from our aircraft long before this kind of communication became commonplace."

Mr. Dart, a Seattle resident the past 12 years, died of kidney disease Saturday (Jan. 17). He was 75.

Born in Dartford on the Little Spokane River, he grew up there and reared his own children on the family homestead. As a young man, he worked in the family business, Dart Truck and Tractor.

"We had the first International Harvester dealership in the state," said his daughter, Lynn Horn of Spokane. "In the 1920s the farmers traded in their horses for tractors and motorized combines. He was the third generation to be working in the business."

Mr. Dart served in the Army in Europe in World War II. Later, he returned to the family business and when his children were older, involved them in the brokering of heavy equipment around the West.

In off hours, Mr. Dart enjoyed hunting, fishing and boating. He collected Native-American artifacts. He liked black-powder shooting and restoring antique guns.

He retired in 1985, but never really retired, his son said. Mr. Dart kept up with his old contacts.

"He had always been a boating person; that had been a great love of his life," his daughter said. "Even when he lived in Eastern Washington, he kept big boats in Seattle, on Lake Union. So that's where he retired and lived on a wooden boat, 43 feet long, the Thor."

Other survivors include his second wife, Ruth Shipp Dart of Seattle, five grandchildren and two great-grandchildren. His first wife, Evelyn Dart, to whom he was married 49 years, died in 1991. His daughter Terry Dart died in 1953.

Services have been held. Remembrances may go to any charity.