Booth Gardner
Encyclopedia
Booth Gardner an heir to the Weyerhaeuser
fortune, was the 19th Governor of the U.S state of Washington between 1985 and 1993. He also served as the ambassador of the GATT
. He is a Democrat. Before serving as governor, Gardner was Pierce County
Executive. His service was notable for advancing standards-based education and environmental protection.
His stepfather is Norton Clapp
, one of the original owners of the Seattle Space Needle. In 1976, he owned the Tacoma Tides
in its one year in the American Soccer League
. In 1978 he co-owned the Colorado Caribous
franchise in the NASL
with Jim Guercio.
In 1994, one year after his retirement, Gardner was diagnosed with Parkinson's Disease
. In 2006 he unexpectedly announced his support for assisted suicide
. In 2008 he filed and successfully spearheaded the campaign for Initiative 1000, Washington's Death With Dignity Act, which was closely modeled on Oregon's assisted dying law, and he remains involved in implementing the Act. Gardner has said that he supports going even further than the current Washington and Oregon laws, to eventually permit lethal prescriptions for people whose suffering is unbearable without the requirement that the sufferer have a terminal condition.
In 2009, The Last Campaign of Governor Booth Gardner, a short documentary film, was produced by Just Media and HBO, chronicling the Initiative 1000 campaign. The film was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Documentary Short.
Gardner has also come out in support of eliminating Washington's WASL
test, a standardized test required to graduate high school.
Weyerhaeuser
Weyerhaeuser is one of the largest pulp and paper companies in the world. It is the world's largest private sector owner of softwood timberland; and the second largest owner of United States timberland, behind Plum Creek Timber...
fortune, was the 19th Governor of the U.S state of Washington between 1985 and 1993. He also served as the ambassador of the GATT
General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade
The General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade was negotiated during the UN Conference on Trade and Employment and was the outcome of the failure of negotiating governments to create the International Trade Organization . GATT was signed in 1947 and lasted until 1993, when it was replaced by the World...
. He is a Democrat. Before serving as governor, Gardner was Pierce County
Pierce County, Washington
right|thumb|[[Tacoma, Washington|Tacoma]] - Seat of Pierce CountyPierce County is the second most populous county in the U.S. state of Washington. Formed out of Thurston County on December 22, 1852, by the legislature of Oregon Territory...
Executive. His service was notable for advancing standards-based education and environmental protection.
His stepfather is Norton Clapp
Norton Clapp
Matthew Norton Clapp was a Weyerhaeuser chairman who was among the private investors who built and owned the Seattle Space Needle....
, one of the original owners of the Seattle Space Needle. In 1976, he owned the Tacoma Tides
Tacoma Tides
The Tacoma Tides was an American soccer club based in Tacoma, Washington that was a member of the American Soccer League. Although not long-lived, the club is remembered today for its backup goalkeeper--well-known American soccer coach Bruce Arena....
in its one year in the American Soccer League
American Soccer League
The American Soccer League has been a name used by three different professional soccer leagues in the United States. The first American Soccer League was established in 1921 by the merger of teams from the National Association Football League and the Southern New England Soccer League. For...
. In 1978 he co-owned the Colorado Caribous
Colorado Caribous
The Colorado Caribous was a professional soccer team based in Denver, Colorado, that played in the North American Soccer League...
franchise in the NASL
North American Soccer League
North American Soccer League was a professional soccer league with teams in the United States and Canada that operated from 1968 to 1984.-History:...
with Jim Guercio.
In 1994, one year after his retirement, Gardner was diagnosed with Parkinson's Disease
Parkinson's disease
Parkinson's disease is a degenerative disorder of the central nervous system...
. In 2006 he unexpectedly announced his support for assisted suicide
Assisted suicide
Assisted suicide is the common term for actions by which an individual helps another person voluntarily bring about his or her own death. "Assistance" may mean providing one with the means to end one's own life, but may extend to other actions. It differs to euthanasia where another person ends...
. In 2008 he filed and successfully spearheaded the campaign for Initiative 1000, Washington's Death With Dignity Act, which was closely modeled on Oregon's assisted dying law, and he remains involved in implementing the Act. Gardner has said that he supports going even further than the current Washington and Oregon laws, to eventually permit lethal prescriptions for people whose suffering is unbearable without the requirement that the sufferer have a terminal condition.
In 2009, The Last Campaign of Governor Booth Gardner, a short documentary film, was produced by Just Media and HBO, chronicling the Initiative 1000 campaign. The film was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Documentary Short.
Gardner has also come out in support of eliminating Washington's WASL
Washington Assessment of Student Learning
The Washington Assessment of Student Learning was a standardized educational assessment system given as the primary assessment in the state of Washington from spring 1997 to summer 2009. The WASL was also used as a high school graduation examination beginning in the spring of 2006 and ending in 2009...
test, a standardized test required to graduate high school.