George Mahlon Brosseau died peacefully at Whidbey General Hospital, Oct. 7, 2008, at the age of 85.

He was born Dec. 30, 1922 in Bellingham, the middle of three children of George and Florence Brosseau.

He joined the U.S. Navy in 1941, the day after Pearl Harbor and served 4 years in the South Pacific aboard the U.S.S Pyro, an ammunition ship.

After returning to the United States he completed his high school education at Broadway High School in Seattle, attended Seattle University and graduated from the Northwest Institute of Photography. He married Sadako Sugiura in 1948 and they had a son, Dwight Mahlon Brosseau in 1949. He and Sadako divorced in 1958.

After developing a career as a freelance professional photographer he joined the Marine Corp Reserves. After the beginning of the Korean War he went to active duty from 1949 to 1957, and served as a combat photographer. His assignments included filming “The Big Switch” the momentous exchange of American and Korean prisoners at Freedom Village; Secretary of State John Foster Dulles’ visit to the war-torn country; and atomic bomb tests in the Pacific. In the early 1950’s he was sent to the Yucca Flats in Nevada to film the explosion of the Atomic Bomb. After the war he completed his 20 years in the Marine Corp Reserves and retired as a Commissioned Warrant Officer.

In 1958 Mahlon met and married Rose M.T. Chen in Seattle. In 1960 the couple boarded the first of 4 freighters for a seven-month trip around the world. They had a daughter Mai Lon Verle in 1962.

In 1962 Mahlon was hired by KOMO-TV in Seattle as a news cameraman. He became the Director of News Photography in 1977. His responsibilities were supervising all Channel 4 News camerpersons, camera equipment, and supplies, as well as being responsible for the photo journalistic quality of the news film and tape for all NEWS 5 telecasts, In addition to his daily work in the field, he also assisted in training the new news photographers.

He had many adventures as a news photographer, including having his foot broken during a protest rally. He accompanied Governor Dixie Lee Ray and KOMO reporter, Ruth Walsh, to China in 1979.

In March 1970, on special assignment for the Seattle station, he traveled to Saigon, Southeast Asia and Europe with Texas billionaire H. Ross Perot and a group of international newsmen to inspect P.O.W. camps and discuss with the Pathlet Lao and North Vietnamese the possibilities of a release of American prisoners or to secure information about them. The film from this trip, “The Man in the Arena,” received a National Press Photographers Award, was shown in Congress, in Paris at the peace talks, and received acceptance even from the North Vietnamese, who credited it as being a factual report.

Mahlon received a National Press Photographers Award in 1969 and numerous Sigma Delta Chi awards for excellence in broadcast journalism during his years at KOMO-TV.

Mahlon and Rose moved to Whidbey Island in 1970 and lived on Useless Bay. Upon retiring from KOMO-TV in 1983 Mahlon opened Video Videnda in Freeland. During the 10 years he operated the popular video rental store he mentored many young students, teaching them the principals of business, as well as providing college scholarships. He also mentored students and adults interested in videography.

Mahlon was widely known as “Mr. B.” Kris Haworth, one of “Mr. B.’s Kids” said “He was our mentor and teacher. We learned how to look people straight in the eye, show confidence, and be accountable. He trusted us as young high schoolers which inspired us to be successful. He continues to influence our lives.”

After Rose Brosseau retired from her career as a Pediatric Nurse at Children’s Hospital in 1995, she opened the Six Persimmons Oriental Restaurant, Gift Shop and Cooking School in Coupeville. Rose and Mahlon were very active in the Coupeville community.

Mahlon was proceeded in death by his parents, brother Frank, sister Norma, son Dwight, and daughter-in-law Jeanne.

Mahlon is survived by his wife Rose, daughter Mai Lon, husband Alex, granddaughters Morrigan and Deirdre Ross, granddaughter Sarah Tift and great-granddaughters Payton Brosseau, and Paige and Grace Tift.

A memorial service will be held at Maple Ridge Assistant Living on Saturday, October 18 at 2:00 p.m. with full military honors.

Arrangements are entrusted to Visser’s Funeral Home, Langley.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made to the Salvation Army, 111 Queen Ann Avenue N, Suite 300, Seattle, WA 98109 or Toys for Tots, Marine Corp League, Box 96, Greenbank, WA 98253.