If ever there was a UW athlete whose life was all about the purple and gold, it was Al Ulbrickson Jr., (second from right) who died July 6 at the age of 81. He was the son of a legendary UW rowing coach of the same name, a consummate oarsman and a member of the 1952 U.S. Olympic crew team that brought home a bronze medal in the coxed fours event at the Helsinki Games. Both he and his father were inducted into the Husky Hall of Fame and both helped shape the UW athletic department and its rowing program.

Ulbrickson, who graduated with a bachelor’s degree in physical education, devoted many years of service to the UW. He served first as dean of men and later as vice president of Student Affairs. Not one to retire to a life on the golf course, Ulbrickson served as executive director of the South Snohomish County Chamber of Commerce after he left the UW.

He was a spirited man with a wide smile and the ability to make people feel welcome. He was involved with Community Services for the Blind, Kiwanis and Seattle Junior Crew, and worked hard to promote the Junior Crew Rowing program at Green Lake. He is survived by his wife, Monica; daughter, Rinda; son Alvin III; and three grandchildren.—Julie Garner