WA - David Boerner, 85, passed away peacefully on March 9, 2025, in Mercer Island, Washington.

A distinguished prosecutor, professor, legal scholar, and champion of social justice, Dave was a mentor, educator, advocate, father, grandfather, and loving husband whose impact will be felt for generations.

Born on July 27, 1939, in Chicago, Illinois, Dave's life of service and justice took root at the historic Hull House, co-founded by Jane Addams, where his parents, Lela and Bert Boerner, were social workers. He spent his childhood on Chicago's South Side with his younger sister, Betsy, but longed for farm life, inspired by his father's time at the family's Montana homestead. At 14, his parents moved the family to Woodstock, Illinois, where he met the love of his life, Barbara Boerner. In high school, he excelled in football and basketball, joined Future Farmers of America, and raised prize-winning Southdown sheep on their family farm, Pleasant Valley.

Dave and Barb married in 1960 and moved to Champaign, Illinois, where he attended law school at the University of Illinois, Champaign-Urbana. Their daughter, Judy, was born in 1961, and in 1963, the family relocated to Seattle, where they settled in the Mount Baker neighborhood and welcomed sons Dan and Rich. In 1982, they moved to Enumclaw, fulfilling their dream of country life on a 13-acre farm, reintroducing the family name Pleasant Valley Suffolks, which became the heart of family gatherings filled with food, music, and laughter in the shadow of Mount Rainier.

Dave began his legal career at the King County Prosecuting Attorney's Office, rising quickly to Chief Criminal Deputy. After 18 years as a prosecutor, he joined the Seattle University School of Law, where his influence shaped the next generation of legal professionals. As a professor, Dave was deeply committed to professional integrity, teaching courses in criminal law, criminal procedure, evidence, and professional responsibility. One of his most enduring contributions was co-founding the Academic Resource Center's Access Admission Program with Paula Lustbader. Over 30 years, they helped more than 1,000 aspiring lawyers overcome barriers to legal education, fostering a more diverse and just profession. His students didn't just gain legal knowledge—they carried forward his unwavering commitment to ethics, equity, and justice.

Beyond the classroom, he helped modernize Washington's legal system; played a key role on the Norm Maleng-led taskforce that shaped The Community Protection Act and the Sexually Violent Predators Statute; spearheaded the Sentencing Guidelines Commission and advised the state Supreme Court, Bar Association, and other judicial bodies. His contributions earned widespread state and national recognition, cementing his legacy as a leader in criminal justice reform.

In 2014, after 32 years at the farm and an illustrious legal career, Dave and Barb moved to Bellevue, Washington, before transitioning to Aegis Assisted Living on Mercer Island in 2023. At Aegis, they shared a beautiful apartment filled with their Native American art collection and, as a reminder of his farm days, a deck overflowing with live plants. In December 2024, Barb passed away after a long battle with dementia. Separated from his love for the first time in 70 years, Dave's health declined rapidly, and he passed peacefully soon after.

He is survived by his children, Judy, Dan, and Rich, their spouses; six grandchildren; colleagues; students, and a grateful legal profession that will carry forward his legacy. He was preceded in death by his parents and sister, Betsy Carlin.

Dave Boerner exemplified the highest values of his profession— humanity, humility, excellence, ethics, integrity, and advocacy. His unwavering passion for justice and education left an indelible mark on the legal community and on the careers of so many who have reached out after his passing. He will be remembered by all for his dedication to making the criminal justice system more just. His impact on his family was just as profound, and we will all strive to live up to the ideals he carried forward throughout his life. The family deeply mourns the recent passing of both our parents but takes comfort in knowing they are together again in their final Pleasant Valley.

A shared Celebration of Life for Dave and Barbara will be held on Saturday, July 19, 2025, at 2:00 p.m. at Sunset Hills Memorial Park & Funeral Home in Bellevue, Washington.

In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation to the Native American Arts Fund or Seattle Clemency Fund.