Kirk L. Pagel, best known among his friends for his interests in photography and hydroplane racing, died unexpectedly on the 8th of December 2016 outside his Kirkland residence.

Kirk was born in 1946, one year before his parents Lloyd and Elizabeth (Betty) Pagel moved from Seattle to Mercer Island to build the first of two homes on their First Hill property. Kirk was educated in the Mercer Island school district, graduating from Mercer Island High school in 1964. During his time at the High School, Kirk was involved in photography and journalism. He was an enthusiastic member of the ‘Photo Club’ and contributed photos and stories to the school newspaper, and occasionally to the Mercer Island Reporter.

After High School, Kirk along with several close friends, attended Everett Community College for two years before leaving college to work in photography and camera sales in the Bellevue area. Not long after he was drafted into the US Army, and subsequently served three years including a year in Viet Nam. The famous and bloody Tet Offensive of 1968 occurred about two weeks after Kirk arrived in Viet Nam, and it was his platoon that helped to re-take the embassy from the Viet Cong. Kirk was decorated for these actions.

Following Viet Nam, Kirk lived and worked in the Bellevue area often in sales or marketing and later worked for a large Seattle-based insurance company. He married twice. In his spare time, he devoted much of his time to the fledgling, and now well-established, hydroplane and raceboat museum. He wrote for the museum’s newsletter and, from his many years of attending the Seafair races, Kirk compiled a large library of hydroplane photos which he made available via a small mail-order business.

Kirk was a baseball and football fan. He could often be seen at Mariner games, and for many years he continued to subscribe to the Husky football season ticket his father had held. Kirk is survived by his sisters Mary and Elizabeth, and brothers Mark and Alan.