Raymond Chalker

SEAW Southwest President 1969d. 2013, age 82

Raymond Chalker earned the BSCE in 1954 and the MSCE in 1955 from Oregon State University. He spent four years in the US Navy as an aviator, three years with Boeing as a structures engineer, and three years with the American Plywood Association as a research engineer. He then served as director of civil engineering at Highline Community College.

In 1965 Ray founded Chalker Engineers in Tacoma. In 1987 he sold the firm to his partners Dan Putnam, Jim Collins, and Don Scott who established PCS Engineers. His work focused on historical renovation. Notable projects include the Tacoma Dome, conversion of the Union Station to serve as a federal courthouse, and Seattle's Alexis Hotel in the 1980s. The firm also worked on the Chihuly bridge, the renovation of the University of Washington Tacoma, the Washington State History Museum, and the building that formerly housed the University of Puget Sound Law School in downtown Tacoma.

His extensive community service included chairing the board at Pierce College. OSU recognized Ray Chalker in 2005 with induction into the OSU Engineers Hall of Fame.

His obituary in December 2013 noted: "Name a building in downtown Tacoma, and Raymond Chalker probably helped engineer it."

Posted June 2012. Updated September 2014