George Allen, founding partner of McKinstry Co., dies

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When George Allen and his business partner Merrill McKinstry started their mechanical-construction venture, McKinstry Co., in a little shop on Bellevue's Main Street nearly a half-century ago, the business employed six plumbers for commercial and multiresidential plumbing jobs.

Mr. Allen, who had a college degree in mechanical engineering, did the estimating and plumbing designs and handled the company's field operations. McKinstry, the elder of the two, handled the general business operations. It was a fine fit.

The company is now the largest mechanical contractor in the Northwest, with offices in South Seattle and Portland, and more than 750 employees. Mr. Allen's sons, David and Dean Allen, now run the company. The elder Mr. Allen remained an active and integral presence until a couple of months ago.

"He came in to work every single day. Sometimes he only stayed a few hours, but he was available for meetings, mentoring and critiquing," said Loraine White, his executive assistant for 14 years. "He had a vision of the company being so much more than a plumbing company," she added, noting that McKinstry Co., which specializes in plumbing, piping and sheetmetal, now has diversified into temperature controls, energy-management services, fire protection and facility management.

Mr. Allen, who had suffered congestive heart failure in recent years, died at his West Seattle home June 12. He was 79.

A memorial celebration will be held at 6 p.m. Wednesday at the Museum of Flight, 9404 E. Marginal Way S. More than 1,000 people are expected to attend.

Born in Los Angeles, Mr. Allen moved with his family at age 8 to Tacoma. He graduated from Tacoma's Lincoln High School, and later served as an Army combat engineer in the South Pacific. He was in the invasion of Okinawa. After the war, he earned a degree in mechanical engineering in 1950 at the University of Washington.

When McKinstry unexpectedly died in 1971, Mr. Allen became sole owner. Soon, his two sons joined him in company management.

"We had the privilege of knowing him not only as a great father, but as a great business partner," said son Dean Allen, who now heads McKinstry Co. His older brother is vice president of marketing.

Throughout his career, Mr. Allen gave his time and talents to charitable organizations and industry-related educational endeavors, Dean Allen said.

The company has been hired to work on many of Seattle's most recognizable landmarks, including Seahawks Stadium, Experience Music Project, the downtown Fairmont Olympic Hotel and the new downtown Seattle Public Library.

In 1995, Mr. Allen was inducted into the UW's Construction Hall of Fame. He was named the Associated General Contractors' Person of the Year for 1982, and was honored by the mechanical-contracting industry.

He served on a number of boards and committees, including the Joint Apprenticeship Trust of Plumbers and Pipefitters Local 32, the Mechanical Contracting Association of America, the American Society of Heating, Refrigeration and Air Conditioning Engineers and Boys & Girls Clubs of Bellevue and King County.

White, his executive assistant, said he had a stellar work ethic. "For years, he was always the first one in the morning and the last to go home at night," she said. "He inspired people to work late because nobody wanted to leave before George."

Besides his sons, he is survived by his wife, Joyce; a daughter, Laurie Swissa of Seattle, and six grandchildren. Also surviving are two sisters, Mary Geoghegan of Vancouver, Wash., and Margaret Jonez of Tacoma.

In lieu of flowers, donations can be sent to the McKinstry Charitable Foundation, P.O. Box 24567, Seattle, WA. 98124. All donations will be forwarded to the Boys & Girls Club.