Frank J. Warnke, a former longtime Washington state lawmaker, is remembered as a fair and loyal man who fought for workers' rights.

Mr. Warnke, 78, a legislator for South King County districts, died Sept. 23.

A Democrat, Mr. Warnke was first elected in 1964 to the House of Representatives, where he served six terms. He also served in the Senate for two terms, from 1983-1991, and was Chairman of the Labor and Commerce Committee.

"He was a statesman," said son Kurtis Warnke, 54, of Shelton. "He was a champion of workers' rights over the years."

Warnke said his father worked cooperatively across the aisle to solve problems.

"He was in politics because it was an honorable thing to do. The word politics has changed over time," Kurtis Warnke said.

Mr. Warnke helped form a labor union, Public School Employees of Washington, which supported school-district employees such as cooks, custodians and bus drivers. Mr. Warnke served as its executive director until 1991.

"He was a very fair person," Kurtis Warnke said. "His door was always open to anyone that wanted to talk about any issue, and that's how I remember him as a dad, too."

Mr. Warnke enjoyed fishing the mouth of the Columbia River and hunting deer and elk.

"Fishing was the family competition — who could get the most or biggest," Kurtis Warnke said.

Warnke's daughter, Karla Flygare, of Federal Way, remembers trout-fishing trips to Lake Quesnel in Canada and family vacations to Montana, where Mr. Warnke was born and raised.

After living in Montana, Mr. Warnke moved to Auburn, where he graduated from Auburn High School. He served in the Coast Guard and worked at Boeing for a decade before becoming involved in politics.

Flygare, the principal flutist at Pacific Northwest Ballet, said he was a supportive father who showed his children the value of hard work.

"Our lives revolve around our careers and happily, and that was a gift he gave us," she said. "Equally important is just love of family and respect of family."

After he retired as a legislator from the 31st District Senate seat, he started Advocates Inc., a lobbying firm that his grandson Ehren Flygare continues to operate.

"If there was one word that I could say about him (it) was that he was a loyal person," Karla Flygare said.

Mr. Warnke is survived by his wife of more than 60 years, Beverly Warnke. Along with his son and daughter, Warnke is also survived by two sisters, Laura Bade, of Seattle, and Jean Smith ,of Renton; and one brother, Edward McMeel, of Harlem, Mont.

A graveside service was held Sept. 27.

A memorial service will be held at the State Capitol Legislative building in the rotunda at 11:30 a.m. Nov. 10, with a reception in the Columbia Room.

Remembrances may be made at any Key Bank to the Frank J. Warnke Memorial Fund for scholarships and internships.