Of all the things to find on a Myspace Blog page, Matt D, who also writes for the Weekly Volcano, met with Herb Legg for several months a few years ago. The result was this very good long piece on Herb Legg's life in Olympia. Legg recently passed away after a very full life.

Please read the entire piece, but here are a couple of snips:

I have two pictures of Herb Legg, one from 1937 and one from 1983. He presented them both to me. Giving me the picture from 1983 was somewhat by accident, as it accompanied a news article, the subject of which he was much prouder. In 1937 Herb Legg was a stoic older brother, and tan from the farming fields of Ellensburg and the Kittitas Valley. It's a black and white photo, but blonde locks are evident, sprouting from the top of his close-cropped hair, and even his eyebrows seem bleached by the sun. He stands in front of seven of his siblings and the family dog, Blue. While his brothers and sisters all give cockeyed glances and half-smirks, Herb stands attentive, playing the older brother role to a T.

Flash forward nearly 50 years, to the picture from 1983, and Legg's attentiveness remains. His forehead is wrinkled, a beard covers his face, the hair has gone from blonde to white, but Legg's look of purpose is still obvious.

Now flash forward even further, to 2005, and not a picture, but the flesh-and-blood Herb Legg, who I met every Tuesday afternoon from mid September until late November - for discussions about his life, his viewpoints, current world affairs, and whatever else sprang to mind. The picture is a bit different. He's old now, and shows his 84 years. He's got a walker with a place for mail and the latest issues of The Economist, or Liberal Opinion. He wears button-up shirts, sometimes buttoned, sometimes not, that, when open, show little tufts of gray chest hair. His chin sits on his chest usually, as after 80 plus years of strong service, I imagine his neck is a bit tired.

He does lift his head though, when excited, or expelling one of his great laughs. Making Herb laugh was the highlight of many Tuesdays. His eyes remain, still holding command, and still showing translucent into his soul. Herb's soul is kind and generous, unmistakable when looking him dead on.

Herb Legg is a liberal liberal. He "gives a damn about poor people."

And:

As usual, Legg downplays some of his most significant contributions during his time as a lawyer. Hand-in-hand with environmentalist Margaret McKenny, Legg kept key environmental areas in Olympia and Tumwater, more important to our community today than even back then, from being paved over.

ecalling the city's efforts to turn Sylvester Park and the Watershed into parking lots, in hopes of purchasing two new fire engines, Legg still cracks a wry smile. He eventually won an 8-0 decision in the same Supreme Court where he was once a law clerk.

The final decision went to the Supreme Court and received an 8-0 favorable decisionof course it didn't hurt that five of the Supreme Court wives were on the Save the Park Committee," smiles Legg.