 He grew up in Friday Harbor, Port Angeles, and finally Port Townsend, Washington, where he excelled in sports and graduated from high school.After attending Washington State College for three & one-half years, in 1922, he began work with the Washington Department of Highways engineering department.After holding public sector positions in Port Townsend and Jefferson County, Washington, and working in the private sector in Oregon and California, he was recruited by Washington Governor Arthur B. Langlie to head the state's Department of Highways and accepted the appointment.