By Kevin Hanson, The Courier-Herald

On the Enumclaw Plateau, where many cast a wary eye toward those involved in King County politics, Kent Pullen was viewed as a advocate, one who railed against a bloated bureaucracy that sometimes steamrolled the rights of private citizens.

That voice was quieted last week, as Pullen died the afternoon of April 14 following a lengthy illness. He passed away at Enumclaw Community Hospital, leaving behind a wife, Fay, and two grown children.

As a member of the Metropolitan King County Council, the 60-year-old Pullen represented Council District 9, which took in the southern portion of the county, including Enumclaw and Black Diamond.

His family has invited the public to celebrate his life at a memorial service beginning at 11 a.m. Thursday at the River of Life Fellowship, 10615 S.E. 216th St. in Kent. For those who wish to make memorial contributions, donations are suggested to the Foundation for Excellence in Health Care. An account has been established in Pullen's memory at Columbia State Bank, 504 West Meeker St., Kent, 98035-0873, and contributions will help fund public educational outreach for natural medicine.

In his final major effort on the Plateau, Pullen stood before a crowd of more than 100 at the Enumclaw Sales Pavilion, inspiring private citizens to fight back when they feel government is unresponsive. His comments, and the subsequent action of grassroots activists, led to formation of the Property Rights Political Action Committee, a group intent upon electing public officials who value - and promise to protect - the rights of property owners.

Pullen told the crowd those in county government typically lie to the public when asking for comments on proposed changes. "It's all a sham," he said, alleging that decisions are made at the county level and the public is involved only for the sake of appearance.

That stance was applauded by Pam Roach, Pullen's longtime legislative aide and a state senator. "He used his immense talents to protect the constitutional rights of everyone," Roach said. "He was often the only 'no' vote in protecting taxpayers from high taxation and onerous regulations." She praised Pullen's "strong voice for protecting personal liberty."

"Councilmember Pullen always represented his constituents with the courage of his convictions," said fellow councilman Larry Phillips. "He worked passionately on behalf of those he felt had little voice. The council chambers are going to be sadly quieter without his booming 'aye's' and 'no's' on their behalf."

Cumberland resident Ole Una met Pullen when the two worked together on a sludge issue, and their mutual respect eventually led to Pullen appointing Una to the Metro Council in 1990, where he served for three years. "He was amazing," Una said. "When things got rougher his smile got bigger.

"Of all the people you meet in your life, he just really stood out," Una said.

Pullen's dedication to his rural constituents was highlighted by Pete von Reichbauer, who served with Pullen in both the Washington State Senate and on the County Council. "Nobody was more consistent in their representation of the rural communities of our state," von Reichbauer said. "He may have had a Ph.D. but he always maintained a common touch with people throughout his district."

Pullen, a Kent resident, earned a Ph.D. in chemistry from the University of Washington, then spent nearly two decades in Olympia, serving the public in both the state House of Representatives and the Senate. He was then the first chairman of the Metropolitan King County Council, the new body created through the merger of the old Metro Council and the King County Council in 1994.

Aside from serving as the institutional memory of the County Council, colleagues most often mentioned Pullen's commitment to natural medicine, the rights of the working class and the constitutional protections guaranteed to all citizens.

With Pullen's passing, the State Constitution requires that the County Council fill his vacancy within 60 days, making an appointment from a list of three candidates. Because Pullen was a Republican, those names will be forwarded by the King County Republican Central Committee; precinct committee officers from Council District 9 will vote on the potential successors.

Kevin Hanson can be reached at khanson@courierherald.com