Ray Van Hollebeke, 68, Founded Donna's Trees

Early in their 40-year marriage, Ramon "Ray" Van Hollebeke told his wife, Donna, he'd put her name up in lights. He didn't tell her the lights would be mounted on sheets of plywood at dozens of Christmas-tree lots in Snohomish and King counties.

It was 1971, and Mr. Van Hollebeke had just lost his job as a land manager at Boeing. He was about to run for a Senate seat.

However, Donna's Trees outlived his Senate career (1973-1981), and he got used to being introduced as "Mr. Donna."

Mr. Van Hollebeke, who earned his law degree at Gonzaga University, had served on the 1962 Seattle World's Fair legal staff and later co-owned Van's Nursery on Aurora Avenue North until 1968. On a whim, he hitchhiked by private airplane to Spokane to see Expo '74.

"I think the story of hitchhiking sums it up pretty well," said his son, Leo Van Hollebeke of Lynnwood. "He wanted to go but couldn't afford to take us, but knew he could find a ride on a corporate jet."

Mr. Van Hollebeke died yesterday (May 5) of complications of a stroke. He was 68. His wife died in 1994.

Born in Oak Park, Ill., he moved to Seattle with his family in 1943 and graduated from O'Dea High School in 1947. He served in the Army in the mid-1950s in Ketchikan, Alaska, and the Seattle area.

After his law and nursery careers in the 1950s and 1960s, he sold insurance and worked for Boeing until his layoff, then helped start Donna's Trees.

Elected to the Legislature as a Democrat from Lake Forest Park in the fall of 1972, he championed Christian family values and made himself available day or night to help constituents.

Mr. Van Hollebeke was a 40-year member of St. Mark's Parish in Shoreline. He sent all his children to St. Mark's School and Blanchet High School. He also belonged to Serra Club, a Catholic lay group that promotes vocations in the priesthood.

"He was passionate about what he believed, but also very compassionate," his son said. "He believed in a definite right and wrong, but never judged people harshly."

Other survivors include his children Theresa Holt, Ann Van Hollebeke, Chris Van Hollebeke and Larry Van Hollebeke, all of Seattle; Louie Van Hollebeke, Lake Forest Park; Rita Maguire, Bellingham; Marie Buduan, Renton; and Kevin Van Hollebeke, Bothell; his mother, Suzanne Evans, Bremerton; his brothers Ralph Van Hollebeke, Kent; Ronald Van Hollebeke, Bremerton; and Richard Van Hollebeke, Edmonds; and 15 grandchildren.

Mass is at 2 p.m. Saturday at St. Mark's Catholic Church, 18033 15th Place N.E., Shoreline.

Carole Beers' phone message number is 206-464-2391. Her e-mail address is: cbee-new@seatimes.com