Water W Baz
January 23, 1920 - September 10, 2007
Obituary
WALTER WILLIAM BAZ, ASID
Walter Baz, a dear friend to many and a long time Madison Park resident, passed quietly September 10, 2007 after a month-long illness. Walter was born in Camas, WA January 23, 1920. He graduated from Camas High School in 1939 and in 1940, as one of our "Greatest Generation," entered the US Air Force and served until the end of hostilities in 1945.
Following the war he joined the Civil Service and worked with the US Military Forces in Japan until 1950. Living in Japan for five years he became interested in and befriended a family of performers in the Kabuki Theatre. He performed a cameo role with the company while on a road tour to Numazu, Japan.
Walter returned to the Northwest and the University of Washington, where he was affiliated with Phi Kappa PSI Fraternity. He graduated with a degree in political science in 1953, and then took advanced interior design schooling at Parson School of Design in New York.
He began his career in interior design at the Bon Marche
now Macy¹s Interior Design Studio. After eight years he joined McBreen Interior Design where he spent 18 years. He then opened his own firm to continue serving his far flung clients up and down the West Coast from Canada to Mexico and Hawaii. He remained active in design until very recently and was a longtime member of the American Society of Interior Design which awarded him a lifetime membership.
Walter was an avid skier into his 70s, enjoyed tennis, and was an inveterate traveler. For several years he arranged and led small tour groups to Europe and Asia. A lively participant in Seattle’s arts community, he loved theatre, art, and especially music, from opera to jazz. He particularly enjoyed the swing music of the ’30s and ’40s and organized two singing groups which met frequently, accompanied by a pianist, to sing together and solo. He had many friends throughout the world. Until he fell ill he retained a keen interest and curiosity in the world around him. He was a gentleman and in many ways a Renaissance man.
To encourage education and the study of interior design he founded and endowed the Walter Baz Interior Design Scholarship Fund at Bellevue Community College.
Walter was predeceased by his brother Paul. He is survived by his sister Virginia Baz, sister-in-law Belva Baz, and niece Penny Baz, all of Camas, WA.
Contributions in his name may be sent to the Walter Baz Interior Design Scholarship Fund, Bellevue Community College, Room A102, 3000 Landerholm Circle SE, Bellevue, WA 98007 or to a charity of your choice.