Downtown court building renamed for Gary Burleson

The building that houses Mason County District Court in downtown Shelton was dedicated Monday in the name of Gary Paul Burleson, the county's prosecuting attorney for 28 years.

About 50 people attended the dedication ceremony at the building that formerly housed Olsen Furniture at 414 W. Franklin St. Burleson died in July 2017.

"Gary would be so honored," said his wife, Kathy. She added, "He spent his whole career in Mason County."

Burleson was Mason County's deputy prosecuting attorney before being elected Mason County prosecutor in November 1982 and taking office Jan. 1, 1983. He worked in that position for seven consecutive terms before retiring Dec. 31, 2010.

Burleson hired the county's current prosecuting attorney, Mike Dorcy. "I owe Gary so much ... We all learned so much from him," he said.

Joe Robertson, a friend of

Burleson's for more than 40 years, pointed out the naming of the building came after only two months of proposing it. "Someone must be really deserving for it to happen so fast," he said.

The county bought the building in 2018.

Burleson was born Nov. 11, 1946, in Olympia. He graduated from Olympia High School in 1965, where he was an All-American swimmer and athlete of the year. He graduated from the University of Washington, where he lettered in swimming. He earned his juris doctorate degree from Willamette Law School in Salem, Oregon, in 1972.

Burleson was a member of the Shelton Presbyterian Church, Shelton Rotary Club and Bayshore Golf Club. He was active as a parent and coach in youth baseball.