George Revelle

Revelle was an accomplished man with many talents who served on King County Superior Court and contributed to drafting the national Code of Judicial Conduct.

He is the great-grandson of Roger Revelle, an oceanographer and population scientist who was instrumental in founding the University of California at San Diego. This is his story – how his life was profoundly affected by the tragic events of June 30, 2018.

Early Life and Education

Early childhood is a crucial period in a child’s development. This is when they form relationships with other kids and start to understand themselves and their environment better.

Parents are their child’s primary educators during this period. Not only do they teach them how to speak, walk and feed themselves properly, but also develop important social skills.

But a child’s learning is incomplete without the stimulation and interaction that preschool classrooms provide. Here, they make friends, explore different interests, and begin their development through teacher-led instruction.

George Revelle was no exception to this rule. He began as a lawyer and eventually rose to become judge in King County. Additionally, he was an influential public figure and staunch supporter of mental health parity.

Professional Career

A person’s career is the collection of roles they have undertaken and responsibilities they have had throughout their life. It defines their values, commitment to work, and drive to grow and develop professionally.

Typically, individuals are paid for their skills and knowledge and are considered professionals in the field they have chosen to study. They may need to pass an examination or board review in order to become officially registered and permitted to practice lawfully their profession.

Revelle had a distinguished professional career that included teaching at the University of California in Los Angeles and then at Scripps Institution of Oceanography in La Jolla. During Joseph McCarthy’s reign at UCLA, he fought against faculty being required to take an anti-communist oath. Additionally, he served as Science Advisor to Interior Secretary Stewart Udall during the early 1960s and served as president of American Association for the Advancement of Science (1974).

Achievements and Honors

Revelle was a renowned figure in Seattle and his community, advocating for health reform and mental-health issues. He strongly believed in equal coverage for those with mental illness.

He was an enthusiastic supporter of environmental preservation and climate change awareness. As founding chairman of the first Committee on Climate Change & Ocean Research under the Scientific Committee on Ocean Research and International Ocean Commission, his influence extended far beyond ocean research.

He served on the board of directors of the Washington State Hospital Association and spearheaded lobbying for legislation that equalized insurance coverage for mental illness. Additionally, he was active in local government affairs, serving on citizen committees and helping to appoint a blue-ribbon panel to investigate misconduct allegations against King County Sheriff’s Department.

Personal Life

George Revelle was an esteemed scientist and lawyer who advocated for action to combat climate change. He stressed the urgency of taking immediate, prudent measures in order to lessen its potential effects on global temperatures.

He was a renowned figure in his field, serving as science adviser to interior secretary Stewart Udall during the Kennedy Administration. Additionally, he served as president of the American Association for the Advancement of Science.

In 1997, the Missouri Court of Appeals overturned Revelle’s conviction. A new trial began in December 1998 under defense attorney Shawn Askinosie and alarm expert Jeffrey Zwirn’s guidance.

Net Worth

George Revelle, a former King County Executive with a net worth of $3 million in 2018, had an estate that included his daughter Robin who passed away in 1999. With his wife Lisa, George had four other children but one, their only surviving child, Michael, passed away in 2002.

In the late 19th century, Hugh de Revelle and his four siblings moved from Maryland’s Eastern Shore to Seattle. As Huguenot refugees, they received a land grant from Lord Baltimore and traced their ancestry back to twelfth-century Crusader Hugh de Revelle.

He began as a summer intern at the State Attorney General’s Office in 1966 and sold Fuller brushes on the side to finance law school. After graduation, Senator Henry M. Jackson hired him for his staff; however, he quickly became disenchanted with legal practice and decided to “get into politics”.