If an organization is lucky, it has a small group of people who represent what the organization stands for. They are often not household names.
But these people use their smarts to keep the workplace running, and their humor to bring out the best in their co-workers.
At the Seattle Times, such a person was Bill Cossen. He retired as a copy editor in 2015 and died Saturday at age 68 of a heart attack.
Don Shelton, who retired as editor-in-chief of the newspaper in 2019, said, “Copy editors and page designers are not well known.” “But they are the unsung heroes behind the scenes. I can’t think of anyone more beloved than Bill Cossen.”
In this city, fewer and fewer people, like Cotsen, were born and raised in Seattle.
“He was our Google, our fountain of information,” says copy editor Elouise Schumacher. She said he made sure to reach out to new staff.
“There are a lot of people coming to Seattle for the first time. He was able to bring people into the Seattle community, which is what Seattle has to offer.”
Cossen was an avid collector of things related to Seattle. He loved sharing them.
HistoryLink.org, a free online encyclopedia of Washington history, says in an article about Smith Tower: 1920s postcard — Provided by Kossen — The building was once the tallest building west of the Mississippi River.
And in the story about the famous person, Sorrento Hotel, another postcard collected by Kossen. The same goes for postcards showing the situation. denny regrade The road, located between Queen Anne Hill and downtown, was built more than 100 feet down the hill.
“He was doing ‘hyperlocalism’ before the word was invented,” says Felix Bunnell, KIRO News Radio host and resident historian.
Bunnell wrote an article about the building’s planned demolition and redevelopment in June. memorial stadium Of course, he quoted Cossen at the Seattle Center. “Seattle’s Memorial Stadium was simply the center of high school football in the Pacific Northwest. It was the place to go as a player. [the] The place to go as a fan. ”
“People will be making their Thanksgiving plans around the championship football game at Memorial Stadium on Thanksgiving Day,” Cossen said.
Hyperlocalism?
Cossen may say Seattle Mayor Bruce Harrell, a linebacker and team captain at Garfield High School in 1975, recalled the thrilling four-overtime game his team lost 42-35 to Blanchett. unknown.
He can look back on Gov. Jay Inslee’s touchdown pass to Ingraham during a 44-13 victory over Garfield at Memorial Stadium in 1967.
Mr. Cossen’s roots can be traced back to his grandfather, Harry Cossen, who arrived in Seattle with his family in 1909.
In the catalog of this paper in 2015, “memories of seattle” has a photo of Harry Cossen. blacksmith He was located at 14th Avenue South and South Jackson Street. This book is out of print, but used copies are available on Amazon.
On Cable’s Seattle Channel, Cossen produced, wrote and hosted a one-hour special for the Museum of History and Industry in 2005.
the title is”There Goes the Neighborhood AgainIt was about his beloved Central area, where his family lived before moving to Green Lake. Mr. Cossen graduated from Lincoln High School in 1972, but was so proud to have contributed so deeply to the history of Garfield High School that he received an honorary diploma from the school in 2006.
Barbara Serrano was married to Cossen from 1992 to 2000. She was then a reporter and editor for the Seattle Times. She is now an attorney and public safety advisor for Inslee’s office.
She recalled a trip she and Cotsen took to Yakima to visit antique stores.
“Anything to do with the 1962 World’s Fair, Seafair. frederick & nelsonAnything to do with old Seattle,” Serrano recalled. Their basement was full.
When he retired, the staff page 1 and Page 2 Dedicated to Cossen. One of the headlines read: “The Building’s Basement. A Treasure of the 21st Century.”
By the way, this is a story from someone who loved explaining Seattle to newcomers, so Frederick & Nelson was a fancy department store with its main store in a six-story building at Fifth Avenue and Pine Street. It opened in 1918 and closed in 1992. It is currently the location of Nordstrom’s flagship store.
Here is frango mint chocolateis the origin. These days, the following companies sell them: garrett brand of Chicago.
Mr. Cossen joined the Times in 1990 from the Orange County Register and previously worked at the Anchorage Times and Ellensburg Daily Record.
“Print newspapers were booming, and the Times was still publishing in the afternoon and expanding its suburban edition,” recalls copy editor and former copy desk chief Karen Cater. She helped hire Kossen. “His encyclopedic knowledge of Seattle and the Northwest quickly surfaced, so it was a natural fit for him to work on our local news side.”
She talks about the legendary diligence she had in preparing for the person filling in for her each time she went on vacation, even for a day or two, including detailed descriptions of when he was at the business desk. “The shortest one was six pages.”
The word count for one such memo was 2,597 words.
Newspaper downsizing rounds and acquisitions followed, including The Times in 2015.
“I remember Bill saying he didn’t want to fire a young copy editor; he had more seniority,” Schumacher says. “He was single and had a home. He was very caring.”
Cossen was an avid runner.
in Story from May 21, 2014for this newspaper he wrote an article headlined “Running for no reason: A look back at my life of logging miles”.
He explained: “Ever since I can remember, I’ve been running. Running around the house. Running to school. Running from trouble. And I ran as a sophomore on the junior varsity track team at the old Lincoln High School in Seattle. .”
On Saturday, Cotsen was participating in the Holiday Fun Run at Magnuson Park.
He collapsed and could not be revived despite efforts at the scene, by ambulance and at Harborview Medical Center, said his sister, Diane Cossen Doss, of Sequim.
Cossen is also survived by another sister, Carol Cossen Pearson of Edmonds. his nephew, Drew Schneider Cossen of Seattle; and many cousins.
Doss said a celebration of his life will be held at a later date.
Cossen did not request any services in his will, she said.
He wanted to be cremated with his ashes scattered at Lake Washington, another beloved landmark of his.