Celebrating Bob Regan (1928 – 2022)

We proudly honor the life of Bob Regan (1928-2022) and the enormous impact he had on our local swimming community. Bob served as an honorary Board member to SPLASHForward and was keenly interested in our efforts to realize a new public regional scale aquatic facility.

When we open the doors to a new facility, we hope that Bob will know he was a part of it and that we can honor his legacy appropriately.

Bob Regan

PNW Swimming Community Legend

Water and Community As A Way of Life

Bob grew up across the street from the West Greenlake Bathing Beach making it inevitable that he would have close ties to the water. A lifetime of memories were created with a core group of friends that remained close throughout their lives. He and his friends competed for the West Green Lake swim team and a few went on to compete for the Washington Athletic Club (WAC). Bob, a standout swimmer, was coached by Ray Daughters who went on to coach the U.S. Olympic Swim team in four consecutive Olympic Games.

Bob became the head lifeguard at Green Lake at age 14 and taught many children how to swim during his time. His leadership skills shown through and he became the youngest beach manager the Seattle Parks Department had ever hired.

Bob as a lifeguard at Greenlake in the 1940’s. Photo from Bob’s family.

Bob Miller (on left) and Bob Regan. Along with John Tallman they went on to found the Olympic Swim School, Bellevue, WA. Photo from Bob’s family.

From Bob’s childhood on Greenlake, he went on to become a lifeguard, teach swim lessons, be the beach manager, letter in football, basketball, and go on to swim for UW, captain the UW men’s team, and coached the Naval Training Center Swim Team while serving in the Navy.

After settling in Kirkland, he founded the Olympic Swim Schools in Bellevue, Lake City, and Lynwood along with local legends and fellow UW Husky swimmers Bob Miller and John Tallman. They also started the Cascade Swim Club and Lake Washington Swim Club which would go on to form the Chinook Swim Club producing MANY local, world-class and even Olympic swimmers over a period of 20 years. Many people in our community can trace their early start to the Olympic Swim Schools and Bob’s coaching. Maybe that is you!

“We taught swim lessons at all the Seattle City Beaches. After we got off work at 7pm, we would drive to Colman Pool to swim under the lights until 9:30pm.”

Karen (Gordon) Bryce

Masters Swimmer & lifelong friend

"Bob, was just not a meet announcer, he was the 'color commentator' because he knew almost everyone there!! For that reason, meets were never boring."

Vickie Carper

Swim instructor at Olympic Swim school & competitor

Bob became the first Aquatics Chief for King County and oversaw the design and construction of the Weyerhauser King County Aquatic Center! He was responsible for bringing the Goodwill Games and many other national-level, regional, and local meets to the facility.

Many will remember Bob as the ‘voice’ of high school swimming. For 50yrs, he announced, officiated, and served as the meet director for State High School Girls and Boys Swim and Dive championship meets. The ‘frontcrawl’ and ‘backcrawl’ were signature calls for the freestyle and backstroke events.

The early days

1970's Meets

Bob officiated, announced, or was the meet director at local midlakes and state meets.

Bob hired and mentored MANY people who ultimately chose a career in aquatics. He may not have been your coach, but those who coached or currently coach you were likely former mentees of Bob.

Bob received the UW Swimming alumni award in 1975 and 1992. He was inducted into the WIAA Hall of Fame in 2010 and the Pacific Northwest Swimming Hall of Fame.

Bob Regan was inducted into the Washington Interscholastic Athletic Association in 2010.

Bob and his five children.

Bob Regan, passed away peacefully at age 93 on January 24, 2022, at Evergreen Hospice in Kirkland, Washington. His wife of 63 years, Frances, preceded him in death in 2015. He is survived by five children, Jim and wife Missy, Mary, Joan, Bill and wife Barbara, and Pat and wife Christine, as well as six grandchildren, Daniel, Kate, Lucy, Ben and wife Tessa, Carly, and Tucker.

Remembrances may be made in Bob’s name to Washington State Special Olympics or The Alzheimer’s Foundation.

Bob and his wife Frances.

"He absolutely was one of a kind. May he rest in peace.

Karen (Gordon) Bryce

Friend of 80 years

Bob, THANK YOU for all that you gave to the community through the platform of swimming. We are honored to have had you in our wings and passionate about our efforts.

We will pay your legacy forward and let your memory be the torch to our flame.