Robert Preston Pheasant was the best man she ever knew, says Julie Pheasant-Albright of her father who died Sept. 22 at his home in Sunset Hill.

"I never heard him swear, raise his voice or say an unkind word," says Julie Pheasant-Albright. "He was a gentlemen. They don't make them like that anymore."

He was born in 1918. His father, Jack Latman Pheasant was the president of the Ballard Eagles Aerie No. 172 and was instrumental in building the historic Ballard Building on Market Street 1923 and died in 1936.

The three story Ballard Building cost $425,000 at the time and was owned and operated by the Ballard Eagles where were then a thriving fraternal organization with 5,000 members with 20 groups in Ballard.

"This building was the height of the boom in fraternal organizations and the roaring twenties," said Pheasant-Albright.

With the Ballard Building established, the commercial core moved from Ballard Avenue to Market Street.

In the basement of the building was a dining room, smoking room and gymnasium for the Ballard Eagles.

The first floor had businesses, including a department store, Ben Lafferty's Drug Store, barber shop, hardware store and the famous Bagdad Theatre.

Robert Pheasant passed on stories about his visits to the theatre as a boy, referring to a large pipe organ in the theatre.

"They changed movies once a week. He went there every week with a free pass," said Pheasant-Albright.

Upstairs were private offices, the Ballard Eagles headquarters, the Lady Eagles Auxiliary and the Ballard Accident and General Hospital.

The building was next to a large home built by John Pheasant in 1918, where the Washington Mutual Bank is now. He ran the Pheasant-Wiggens Mortuary on the ground floor and the family lived upstairs.

Robert went to Washington Irving and Adams grade schools, James Monroe Junior High School and graduated from Ballard High in 1937.

Pheasant-Albright describes her father as a proud member of Ballard High's Golden Beavers.

"He went to every Golden Beaver reunion that he could," said Pheasant-Albright.

In his high school year book, he wrote this under his picture, "My hobby is being late for everything. My ambition is to be on time for something."

Pheasant-Albright points out that her father did show up on time for his wedding to Helen S. Johnson on Oct. 3, 1948.

Robert Pheasant served with the 111th infantry in the Pacific Theatre during World War II and earned the Bronze Star for valor at the battle of Luzon when he evacuated four wounded soldiers during and mortar attack and helped to remove mortar shells from burning ammunition piles.

Robert had always wanted to go back to the Philippines.

"He hated the war, but loved the Filipino people. He found them real warm," said Pheasant-Albright.

His mother Ethel Pheasant read wartime letters to Helen.

"My grandma read the letters to my mom, thinking she would like to meet her son. After the war he came home and they were introduced," said Pheasant-Albright.

"They hit if off right away and got married quickly," said Pheasant-Albright.

Robert and Helen Pheasant would have been married 58 years if he was still alive.

In 1925, Jack Pheasant started a new project erecting the building where the Tulley's store is now. He moved his mortuary to that building and also lived there with his family.

The couple had three children named John, Joann and Julie.

Although Robert hated camping after spending too much time in fox holes during the war, he took his family camping or skiing on the weekends. In the winter, the family went ice skating on Green Lake. The last time the lake frozen over was in 1949.

He enjoyed playing golf with his fishing buddies and often went to Blaze's Broiler and later Louie's Cuisine of China with them.

"He taught us all to fish and loved to travel," said Pheasant-Albright.

Robert graduated from the University of Washington with a bachelor's degree in international business

Robert loved to play golf and was a member of the Arctic Club, College Club and the Alaska Canners Association. He was active with the Northminster Presbyterian Church.

"He was so courteous, someone who is kind to people and there is no possible reward. People have always said he was a gentlemen, that was the over riding quality of his life," said Pheasant-Albright.

Remembrances may be sent to The Scholarship Fund, Ballard High School Golden Beavers Association, Ballard Station, P.O. Box 70572, Seattle, WA 98107.