Leonard Tall, A Giant In Film Supply, Processing Industry

Leonard Tall, founder of Tall's Camera Supply and CX Corp. and an official of Clipper Navigation, has died of cancer at his Seattle home. He was 74.

Mr. Tall worked full time with his daughter, Merideth Tall Khatib of Mercer Island, at Clipper Navigation until he was diagnosed last month with liposarcoma. He died Thursday (Aug. 6).

"We thought he had a lot longer to live, but we were happy that we had him at home when he died. I was holding his hand, and he just slipped away peacefully," said his daughter, who started Clipper Navigation in 1986 and asked him to join her as executive vice president.

Before joining Clipper - owner of the Princess Marguerite car ferry, ferries and whale-watching ships in the San Juans, and Victoria Clipper catamarans - Mr. Tall made his name as a film-processing pioneer. He founded Tall's Camera Supply in 1948 and CX Corp. 20 years later.

By 1976, CX Corp. sold about 70 percent of the photo-finishing equipment in North America. It also was the first processor to apply bar codes to its automated process.

Born in Seattle, Mr. Tall graduated from Garfield High School. He had dropped out of school for a time to serve in the Navy in Britain, where he repaired code machines during World War II. But he returned to Seattle to finish school.

Education remained a lifelong interest. He supported his other daughter, Lisa Tall Kjos of Mercer Island, in her medical studies. She eventually became a physician.

Meredith Tall Khatib praised him as an early supporter of affirmative action, noting that when he started Tall's Camera shortly after World War II, he hired several Japanese for top managerial posts.

"His religion was probably employment," his daughter said. "His idea of solving a lot of problems in the world was for everyone to make a living wage at a job they enjoyed. His employees were always telling me he was the best boss they ever worked for."

Mr. Tall also is survived by his wife, Dr. Barbara Alsdorf of Seattle; his first wife and the mother of his children, Helen Tall of Mercer Island; and his sister, Joan Lerner, also of Mercer Island. His son, Robert, died in 1976.

A memorial service is scheduled for 4 p.m. tomorrow at the Bell Harbor International Conference Center at Pier 66 on Seattle's waterfront.

Remembrances may go to Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, 1124 Columbia St., Seattle, WA 98104.