John P. Angel, Skyway Developer, Philanthropist, Democratic Activist

Greek-born John P. Angel, an influential Democrat of the 1930s who made his fortune as developer of the Skyway community between Seattle and Renton, died last week at age 94.

After achieving success in both business and politics, Mr. Angel in the latter half of his life spent much of his time and considerable money helping others.

Locally, he provided scholarships for the young people of St. Demetrios Greek Orthodox Church, and he was president of The Millionair Club charity in 1972. His greatest effort, however, was to help the people of Leros, the southern Aegean island where he was born.

Leros, which changed hands four times during World War II, was devastated by the fighting. Mr. Angel developed his own ``Marshall Plan,'' as he called it, to help the islanders help themselves. Through his aid, new agricultural businesses were developed, a home for the aged was opened, and schoolchildren were given books and supplies.

Mr. Angel's birth on Leros in 1896 was something of an accident. His parents, Greek by birth but naturalized-American citizens, were visiting relatives on the island. Because of the pregnancy, a safe return trip wasn't possible so Mr. Angel's mother stayed on Leros until his birth.

Growing up in the Levant, Mr. Angel attended school in Cairo, Egypt. He lived briefly in Victoria, B.C., before coming to Seattle in 1914.

In 1917, he joined the military at Fort Lawton. During training in the Midwest, Mr. Angel told a reporter some years ago, he volunteered to test the U.S. Army's first parachute.

Fortunately, the test was conducted using sandbags that plummeted to the ground when the parachute failed to open, leaving a deep impression in the sand.

Soon Mr. Angel was sent to France where he was wounded in the Meuse-Argonne offensive and at Verdun.

His combat experiences opened another chapter in his life. After the war, he was one of the early organizers of the Disabled War Veterans, helped organize the Roosevelt Post of the Veterans of Foreign Wars and was one of the first members of Seattle Post No. 1 of the American Legion.

A few years later, it was dedication to his fellow veterans that led Mr. Angel to his career in Democratic politics. Though he'd been a Republican precinct leader, Mr. Angel switched to the Democrats when President Herbert Hoover rebuffed the veterans in their bonus march on Washington, D.C.

In 1932, he helped elect Democratic Gov. Clarence Martin, opening the way to a patronage job with King County, where he served as purchasing agent from 1933 until 1939. In that job, he helped feed and clothe 60,000 Depression-era indigents.

A courthouse figure for years, Mr. Angel - described by a columnist as ``bald and built like a fireplug'' - began his 260-acre Skyway Park development as the wartime boom hit Seattle.

Known for a time as the Angel City, the development made Mr. Angel's fortune, and he donated the 20-acre Skyway Park at its center to the county.

Later, Mr. Angel counted himself among the visionaries who helped bring the Seattle World's Fair into being. Through his political contacts, he was able to attract some of the first money for the project.

Mr. Angel was married nearly 50 years, from 1927 to 1975, when his wife, Mary, died of cancer.

He is survived by his daughter, Bernice Downward; a grandson, John Palmer; and two granddaughters, Mrs. Brett Davis and Adrian Palmer, all of the Seattle area; and four great-grandchildren.

Services were held Monday at St. Demetrios Church.