Hugh Harrison, 87, an ace of Times' copy desk

Long before the Internet and blogs gave everyone the ability to practice journalism, the craft was the domain of men like Hugh Huntley Harrison. A longtime Seattle Times copy editor, Mr. Harrison could be found many mornings at 6 a.m., cigar fired up, editing the day's first news stories.

An ace copy editor, the gentlemanly Mr. Harrison was a master of grammar, syntax, current events and trivia, often down to astonishingly minute detail.

"He knew the most amazingly obscure things," said Kathleen Triesch Saul, associate editor of The Times' Pacific Northwest magazine.

"Someone would say, 'Do you remember thus and such in 1973?' And he'd say 'yes' and then launch into some tale with a lot of detail, and he was always right. You never wanted to get into a trivia contest because he would knock your socks off," Triesch Saul said.

Mr. Harrison, 87, died in his sleep Friday (June 29) surrounded by family members. They had spent the day by his bedside at Tacoma Franciscan Hospice and watched a Mariners game on TV, his daughter Julie Harrison said.

Although Mr. Harrison's ability to recognize his family had dimmed because of Alzheimer's disease, Julie Harrison is sure he would have appreciated that final day.

"He loved all sports: baseball, football, horse racing, golf," she said, and was very proud of his two holes-in-one. But more than that, "there was nothing Dad loved more than being in the background of the big family."

Born in Napa, Calif., on June 23, 1920, Mr. Harrison grew up in California and Minnesota, graduating from the University of Minnesota with a journalism degree. He joined the Army during World War II and served in the South Pacific.

Stationed at Fort Lewis before he shipped out, the young lieutenant attended a United Service Organizations dance at Seattle's Olympic Hotel. There he met Jeanne Dobler.

"He told her that night he'd marry her," Julie Harrison recounted. They had nine dates and three months later were married. That union, begun in February 1944, produced five children and lasted 56 years.

In her final years, Jeanne Dobler Harrison suffered from multiple sclerosis, and Mr. Harrison was her devoted caregiver.

His devotion to his wife earned respect from friends like former Times copy editor Lynn Mucken.

"I know he dreamed of a retirement filled with golf trips," Mucken said, "but none of his golfing buddies ever heard a word of complaint about the years he devoted to Jeannie."

Beginning in 1950, Mr. Harrison worked five decades for The Times as a copy editor and wire-news editor. He was also a devoted union man, serving in various positions with the Pacific Northwest Newspaper Guild. He also was instrumental in the establishment of a pension program for newspaper employees of the AFL-CIO.

Through it all he maintained an easygoing kindness.

"He was a cigar-chomping union leader and wire editor, but I never heard him raise his voice or get mad at anyone, even though he probably could have," recalled John B. Saul, a former editor at The Times.

Added daughter Debbie Kinerk, "I don't think I ever heard him say an unkind thing about people in his life."

Instead, his ire was reserved for politicians, and a hearty debate brought out the best in him.

Mr. Harrison's twice-weekly golf rounds with Mucken often "were a curious combination of warfare and enlightenment," Mucken said.

"We were nearly philosophical twins, but [Mr. Harrison] would often take a position he didn't really believe in, then defend it by trapping me with his intelligence and logic. He changed my mind about 10 times as often as I changed his," Mucken said.

In addition to daughters Julie and Debbie, Mr. Harrison is survived by his son John and daughter-in-law Sandra, of Shelton; daughter Becky Giovine and son-in-law Luke Giovine, of Gig Harbor; and son Mark and son-in-law John Kinerk, both of Tacoma.

He is also survived by 12 grandchildren, 11 great-grandchildren and his brother Hal Harrison.

A service for the immediate family will be held Saturday, July 7. In keeping with Mr. Harrison's request, there will be no memorial service. However, a party is being planned for a later date.

Remembrances may be sent to the Alzheimer's Association or the National Multiple Sclerosis Society.

Elizabeth Rhodes: erhodes@seattletimes.com