Thomas Edward Dunstan

Thomas Edward Dunstan, Architect, has recently passed at the age of 93.

Born in Seattle in 1919, the son of Congregational (now United Church of Christ) minister John Dunstan, he was one of four brothers. Early on he married Dorothy Kincaid, daughter of University of Washington Professor Trevor Kincaid, and fathered three children.  He always loved to draw, and as an architect, he was inspired by great architects like Frank Lloyd Wright.

He is remembered among the leading architects of his day in the Seattle area. He was known for his unusual and beautiful residential designs, such as the Thunderbird House in Bellevue, famous for its sweeping wing roof lines. His unique style blended Northwest and Japanese influences. He designed a thousand houses during his career.  Later, Tom branched out into commercial ventures, not only as project architect, but as developer, with a long list of shopping centers, banks, and business parks that stand today, over many Western states.  He developed many buildings for the State of Washington and designed a major office tower for the City of Chicago, as well as helping to purchase Seattle Steel, creating a new business plan, and redeveloping adjacent property into a higher and best use real estate.

Tom later married his second wife, Margie, and raised her son, Gary Worrell.  After Margie’s passing, he married Carole and raised her daughter, Vicki Joslin.

He was known to travel into any number of communities, introduce himself to their leaders, and convince them to invest in limited partnerships towards the realization of his projects. . Over the years, he became very close to a number of very wealthy business owners and saw to the building of numerous projects. He also designed elaborate and gorgeous homes for all of them. This is how they felt about him. He always had that special twinkle in his eye and people loved him for it and gave him their trust. He loved people and he showed each family, friend, and businessman that he cared and respected them.

Tom loved to travel and have adventures, especially power yachting and skiing.  Passionate about living in his own designs, in the manner of his mentors, he built his own homes and always lived in his own designs until his seventies.  He continued to practice architecture late into his seventies.

He passed quietly and peacefully February 15, 2013. He is survived by his brother Paul Dunstan in Kentucky, his first wife, Dorothy Stapp in Seattle; three children, Thomas Dunstan, Jr. in Seattle, Elizabeth Kincaid in Kirkland, and Kenneth Dunstan in Sedona, Arizona, and by his two step children Gary Worrell and Vicky Joslin. He is also survived by his grandchildren Deborah Haley, Trevor Gong and Brian Dunstan. Cremation is by Barton Funeral Services, and burial will be at Tahoma National Cemetery in Kent WA.