Rabanco Founder Warren Razore

Seattle native Warren Joseph Razore, founder of one of the largest privately owned garbage companies in the country, has died at 58 of complications of treatment for Hodgkin's disease.

Mr. Razore, a resident of Medina, was known for his passion, integrity and keen sense of the solid-waste business.

He began working in the garbage and recycling business as a teen and founded his company, Rabanco, in 1981. When sold last year to Allied Waste Industries of Scottsdale, Ariz., Rabanco had contracts with 19 cities and municipalities in Washington and was transporting solid waste from Alaska to California.

Mr. Razore represented the third generation of a family that has been involved in recycling and garbage disposal here since 1911.

Born Oct. 16, 1941, Mr. Razore got into the business at Seattle Disposal, a company started by his father, Josie, in the mid-1930s.

A graduate of Franklin High School and Seattle University, he also delved into real estate, including bowling alleys, and sponsored professional race-cars that competed from coast to coast.

As a sideline to garbage, the family also operated an excavation company, using the dirt it acquired to cover landfills. The present Cedar Hills landfill near Maple Valley was a family farm.

Later, Mr. Razore saw the need for a larger landfill in Central Washington that could handle all of the state's garbage needs. He partnered with Klickitat County to create the Roosevelt landfill there.

Snohomish County was one of the first of many area customers and Bob Drewel, county executive, praised Mr. Razore's integrity and professionalism. "He was a man of his word," Drewel said.

Passion and enthusiasm were other traits, said Robert Jaffe, Mr. Razore's attorney and longtime friend. Jaffe called Mr. Razore a charismatic leader.

Mary Razore, his wife of 20 years whom he met at a Husky football game, described him as "kind, honest, fair and gentle."

Mr. Razore also was instrumental in creation of the Emergency Trauma Center at Overlake Hospital, and was a major contributor to the Bellevue Boys and Girls Club.

His wife, mother-in-law Doris Jensen and other family and friends were with him when he died Monday at the University of Colorado Medical Center in Denver.

Other survivors include four sons, Joe, Jeff, Matt and Danny, of Medina; his parents, Josie and Joan Razore of Kirkland; mother- and father-in-law Doris and Demetre Jensen; sisters Carmen Sepic and Marie Schulze, both of Mercer Island; and many nephews and nieces.

Visitation is noon to 5 p.m. Sunday at the Green Funeral Home/Sunset Hills Chapel, 1215 145th Place S.E., Bellevue. A memorial service will be 1 p.m. Monday at Sacred Heart Church, 9460 N.E. 14th St., Bellevue. The family asks that remembrances be sent to the Overlake Hospital Foundation, c/o Bow auxiliary, 1035 116th Ave. N.E., Bellevue 98004, or the Bellevue Boys and Girls Club, 209 100th Ave. N.E., Bellevue 98004.