Wayne Alexis Palsson

November 17, 1955 – April 19, 2025

Wayne Alexis Palsson passed away peacefully at his home in Seattle, Washington at the age of 69. Wayne was born in San Francisco, California to the late Frances Elizabeth Palsson (née Korpi) and Filip Paul Palsson.

He grew up and attended school in San Francisco, where he excelled academically, particularly in science. At Lowell High School, he sang in the choir and was in ROTC, where he honed his organizational and leadership skills. During this colorful time in San Francisco, Wayne also developed an eye and talent for photography.

Wayne knew from childhood that he wanted his life’s work to revolve around fish or birds. He studied Zoology at City College of San Francisco, graduating with honors in 1975. He then attended the University of California, Berkeley, earning a Bachelor of Arts in Zoology with high honors and distinction. His passion for marine life inspired him to enroll in the Fisheries Science Program at the University of Washington in Seattle, where he obtained a Master’s Degree in Fisheries Science in 1984.

Wayne possessed a natural capability for research which, combined with his intense curiosity and academic discipline, led him to a distinguished career studying marine life along the West Coast and in Alaska. He worked as a research scientist and fish biologist for the Washington State Department of Fish and Wildlife for 27 years, conducting trawl and SCUBA surveys and managing Puget Sound groundfish and marine protected areas. He joined NOAA in 2011 as a supervisory research fishery biologist and team leader in the Groundfish Assessment Program for the Gulf of Alaska and Aleutian Islands survey group, responsible for bottom trawl surveys and ecological studies of important groundfish species. His professional associations included American Fisheries Society, Gilbert Ichthyological Society, Society for the Protection of Old Fishes, Western Groundfish Conference, Adopt-a-Beach Program, and Sea Doc Society.

Wayne’s laboratory was the ocean, where he spent countless days aboard research vessels or SCUBA diving to collect crucial data and make observations. He was also a prolific author, publishing numerous scientific articles, studies, and reports. Skilled at explaining the mysteries of the deep in professional forums and to the public, Wayne was frequently called upon as a spokesperson by the media. Throughout his career, Wayne worked tirelessly for the conservation of marine resources, particularly Pacific Herring and Northwest coastal rockfishes. He retired in 2022.

Wayne watching birds

Wayne was an enthusiastic birder; starting at age sixteen, he tracked a life list of over 600 species. He was well-known in the Seattle birding community and could easily identify birds by sight or sound. If a new or unusual bird was reported, he thought nothing of making a 4 to 5 hour trip at the drop of a hat to chase it. He was a terrific photographer; many of his bird photos appear in online databases.

Wayne’s longstanding bachelor life changed overnight when a fortuitous meeting on a dating site brought Jean into Wayne’s life. Their love blossomed over the years, and they became inseparable partners in music and life. They were married for 12 years.

Wayne loved music, and he spent the last 25 years sharing his extensive repertoire of sea songs and chanteys. He played a significant role in continuing a decades-old tradition of maritime music in Seattle and the Pacific Northwest. Wayne hosted the Northwest Seaport’s monthly chantey sing from 2007-2024, inspired by his own nautical experience and love for maritime history. He also led the annual chantey sings at the Port Townsend Wooden Boat Festival. Additionally, Wayne and his chantey group, Strikes A Bell, performed at numerous regional festivals and workshops, including the Northwest Folklife Festival, the Port Townsend Wooden Boat Festival, the Lake Union Wooden Boat Festival, the Everett Salty Sea Days, the Tumbleweed Festival, and the Port Gamble Maritime Music Festival.

In addition to his many accomplishments and successes, Wayne will be remembered as a natural leader and community builder who inspired others to be their best. He was someone you could always count on, and was generous with his time, be it leading shore-walks with the deaf-blind community, spearheading the effort to save the schooner Wawona, or simply showing up to help a friend with a home project. Stalwart in life’s storms, humble, a man of abiding curiosity, a loving husband and step-father, a role model for young and old, he was a most loyal friend and will be greatly missed.

Wayne was predeceased by his parents Frances Elizabeth Palsson (née Korpi) and Filip Paul Palsson, brother Ralph (Ralf) Irving Palsson, and sister Andrea Irene Bruce (née Palsson).

Wayne is survived by his devoted wife Jean Geiger, his nephew Nils Palsson, and his great-niece Satya Palsson.

A celebration of life to honor Wayne was held at the Seattle Aquarium prior to his passing, concluding with resounding voices singing some of Wayne’s favorite chanteys and sea songs, which he thoroughly enjoyed.

Wayne, an avid birder for over 50 years, wished that donations be made in his honor to Birds Connect Seattle or Northwest Seaport, in lieu of flowers.