OBITUARIES

Robert E. Dant, 58, lumber and shipping executive and a major investor in downtown San Francisco property, was found dead of an apparent heart attack in his San Francisco apartment, October 1.

He was born in Portland, Ore., in 1906, the son of pioneer Pacific Coast lumberman Charles E. Dant, founder of States Steamship Company and of Dant and Russell, Portland and San Francisco lumber firm.

As a youth, Mr. Dant worked on PortIand's docks, in logging camps and lumber mills while he studied engineering at Oregon State College. He then stepped into the sales departments of his father's companies, and for 20 years specialized in developing new markets for lumber.

He retired to La Jolla in 1956, but his vigorous interest in business brought him back to San Francisco two years later to found the Dant Investment Corporation.

Before the end of 1959 he had invested $7 miliion in San Francisco real estate.

He was chairman of the board of Dant Forest Products Company of Menlo Park' a director of Argonaut Insur:'ance Cornpany and the Building Owners and Managers Association of San Francisco, and an associate of St. Francis Memorial HosPital.

Mr. Dant was a member of the Commercial Club, the Meadow Club in lVlarin county, and the St. Francis Yacht Club, where his 92-foot yacht "Gallant Lady" is moored.

Surviving are his mother, Mrs. Charles E. Dant, of Palm Springs; his son, Charles Mitchell Dant. of Tiburon: a sister. Mrs.

Wilson D. McNary, Vancouver, Wash., and two brothers, Thornas W. Dant, of Reno, and Jack R. Dant, of Atherton.

Al Soulages, general manager of Idaco Engineering & Equipment Co., Oakland, died September 29, shortly after being r:ushed to Alameda Hospital, the victim of a heart attack. He vras 57.

A native of Alameda, Mr. Soulages originaliy began his career in radio, first with the radio division of Sears Roebuck Co. and Iater with Stlomberg-Carlson Co. He had been with Idaco Engineering & Equipment Co. since its inception during the late 30's.

Mr. Soulages is sur-vived by his widow, Lillian, of their Alameda home; and two sons, Al Jr., also with Idaco, and Gary, who is attending a local college.

Albert Walker Richmond of Richmond Bros. Lumber Company, Huntington drive, in the EI Sereno district of Los Angeles, died Sept. 27 follol'ing a heart attack, at the age of 67. He was well-knou'n having; been in the lumber business for 38 years, Mr, Richmond was a director of Monarch Savings & Loan, a member of EI Sereno Masonic Lodge, and former member of the El Sereno Kiwanis and Optimist clubs, past president of the El Sereno Chamber of Commerce. and a member of the board of governors at the Los Angeles State and County Arboretum in Arcadia.

Born in Victoria, British Columbia, Canada, he served three years overseas in the Canadian army during World War I as a member of the medical corps. He had lived in ihe United States since 1923.

He is survived by his widow, Mary Richmond; a daughter, Judith Ann Richmond; two sons, Michael Richmond and Patrick Richmond; one sister, Mrs. Mae Schneider of Alhambla; and four brothers, Frank Richmond of Nervport Beach; Arthur Richmond of Eugene, Oregon;and Walter Richmond and Kenneth Richmond, of Victoria, British Columbia.

Willard Arthur "Bill" Constans, former general sales manager for the Ralph L. Smith Lumber Company and a prominent fifteen-year lesident of Redding, Calif., died Ocotber 10. He was 70.

Born in Blue Earth, Minn., he took B.A. and B.S. degrees from Carleton College in Northfield, Minn. in 1916.

After graduation he worked for his father's lumber business for a year and then became a lumber inspector for the U.S. government at Camp Funston, Kansas.

Constans was in the lumber business for more than forty-two years. After the war he worked for Weyerhaeuser Timber Co. in Minn. He was sales manager at Coeur D'Alene, Idaho in 1923. In 1929 he became salesmanager for the company's new plant in Klamath Falls and in 1943 rvent to Pasadena as sales manager of the Anglo-California Lumber Co. In 1949 he became general sales manager for Ralph L. Smith in Anderson. He retired in 1960.

Constans is survived by his widow, Margaret Anna, a daughter, Mrs. Margaret Loft of Los Altos; a son, Dale D,; four brothers, Dr. George M., H. Philip, Earle E. and Robert Q.; and seven grandchildren.