Daniel Park Wolcott

What Dan did:

He got born at Swedish Hospital, Seattle, WA on December 4, 1970 to Jack & Judy Wolcott and brothers Kirk and Matt.

He attended Woodridge Elementary School and went on to Olympus Northwest Alternative Middle School. He graduated from Bellevue High School in 1989.

While in Middle School he studied at the Seattle Children's Theatre’s Young Actor Institute and played Ralph in their production of “The Best Christmas Pageant Ever”. He played Howard in the University of Washington production of “Inherit the Wind”. Dan acted in many high school productions as well as directing some of the school shows. He also worked as a game counselor at Nintendo while in high school.

Fresh out of high school Dan had a short stint at Bellevue Community College. Deciding to take some time off before going to university he worked some temp jobs and was a customer service rep at Eddie Bower. His employee discount provided him the opportunity to give his family some very nice sweaters for Christmas.

Seeking a chance to make a higher salary he took a course at Shoreline Community College that led to a job at Microsoft working on his favorite program “Publisher”. During this period he became a member of the Society for Creative Anachronism. He enjoyed many years of Medieval life and made long lasting friendships, especially his friend Nancy Weiner.

After being shifted out of the “Publisher” project at Microsoft he decided upon another college path at Seattle Central Community College studying Video Production. He often assisted his parents on video productions for their video company VideOccasions.

Dan worked as Judy’s electrician on many shows at a variety of Seattle theaters and went on to become a fine lighting designer (far better than his mom), stage manager, set designer and actor. Judy and Dan designed several sets together for the Hi-Liners Musical Theater in Burien. He became the technical director at the Highline Performing Arts Center in Burien, for 10 years. And taught technical theater to Highline High School students.

After completing a 6 month course of study at Complections College of Makeup Art & Design in Toronto, Canada, he did make-up at the Banff Centre in Banff, Canada and had a stint of wig making at the Seattle Repertory Theater. He designed make-up for the Hi-Liners Musical Theater in Burien for several years. Each Halloween, for many years, Dan could be seen giving make-up demonstrations at the Pacific Science Center. And speaking of Halloween, for the past 20 years he was in partnership with Eric Tavares creating haunted houses throughout the area culminating with their permanent location at Frighthouse Station in Tacoma.

Dan was also the make-up director on several full length films. Guy Maddin’s “Brand Upon the Brain” was a Special Presentation at the Toronto International Film Festival of 2006.

Being the performer that he was he enjoyed his years singing with the Seattle Men’s Chorus, Dicken’s Carolers and Choral Sounds Northwest. As a musician we often teased Dan that he could play “Green Sleeves’” on any instrument known to the Western world, except a flute. He started as the first violinist in his elementary school orchestra, and almost missed a concert because he had handcuffed himself to the livingroom coffee table. He played the recorder and mandolin with an SCA musical group. And plunked away on the electric piano and hammered dulcimer.

Dan had an active life on “Second Life” on-line and leaves behind many friends and a super family who all miss him tremendously, especially Trip Tindall.

At age 48 Dan finally felt he was ready for that university education that he had taken time off for so many years ago. He graduated magna cum laude from the architecture program at Lake Washington Institute of Technology and immediately enrolled at Washington State University to complete his Bachelor's Degree in architecture. While at WSU he learned about Interior Design, designing the inside of the building rather than the outside. He took to it with a flare and although he thought he would probably design theaters he fell in love with the prospect of designing hospital interiors. After graduation he immediately was employed by Rice, Fergus, Miller in Bremerton to do just that. He was working at the place he wanted to work and with the people he wanted to work with doing exactly what he wanted to do. Dan said he was the happiest that he had ever been in his life.

Dan started studying, practicing and performing magic at a young age. He usually had a trick and Rodney, a small stuffed moose, in his pocket at all times. Although Dan’s life was short it was always filed with magic and imagination.

Dan you are missed, but you left behind many friends and much love.

We miss you Dan and will love you always.