Page 12 - History - Echoes In Time
P. 12
Picture courtesy of John W. Smith
(Margaret Smith and Gov. Rosellini in 1965)
She worked hand in hand with the Superior Court as their workload increased
dramatically with the population boom. Politically savvy and known as a
straight shooter, she served as a delegate to the Democratic National
Conventions for both Kennedy and Johnson. Her reputation as honest and
straightforward led to a long-time friendship with then-governor, Albert
Rossellini, who shared Smith’s vision of technology, as evidenced by his
bringing the 1962 World’s Fair to Seattle.
Shoeboxes to Computers
Some young men with political aspirations are born into families with law
school as a prerequisite, but few, quite by accident, found their calling like
Bob Freudenstein did. In the psychedelic era of the Strawberry Alarm Clock
playing on the radio, Freudenstein found himself working as a shoes salesman
in his late 20s. When Kitsap County Commissioner Bill Mahan called him
about the vacant County Clerk position, the job of Clerk looked pretty good
from his perspective.
Mahan, a former milkman, knew what it was like to start from meager
beginnings and thought Freudenstein would be a perfect fit. Mahan
encouraged Bob to apply for the position. The other commissioners agreed
with him and he was selected to fill the shoes of Margaret Smith. From the
