Champion for Seattle Central students and civil rights dies at 83
Paul Kraabel, a former politician and longtime Seattle Central College Foundation board member died earlier this month at the age of 83. From his decades of public service, he leaves a lasting legacy at both the college and the region.
Kraabel served on the college’s Foundation board for 17 years and was the primary donor to the Laurie McCutcheon endowed scholarship. Named after his second wife who died in a tragic skiing accident in 1992, the scholarship continues to support several students each year.
In addition to championing for Seattle Central and its students, Kraabel was an engineer at Boeing before pursuing a career in politics. He served as a Washington State legislator and then a Seattle City Council member, where he defended civil rights and oversaw the historic preservation of downtown Seattle.
His memorial service was held on campus in August. Donations in his memory can be made to the Seattle Central Foundation.