Full Tilt ice cream co-founder suffers heart attack, dies

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(gofundme)

SEATTLE - Justin Cline, co-founder of Full Tilt Ice Cream, died Saturday less than a month after he suffered a heart attack.

On Feb. 5, Cline woke his wife up in the middle of the night and asked her to call 911. Cline had a massive heart attack and was admitted to the ICU at Valley Medical Center in Renton.

Cline died March 2 at the hospital, according to a post on gofundme: "It is with absolutely broken hearts that we share that our beloved friend Justin has moved on to the great ice cream shop in the sky."

Cline was a community advocate who helped revitalize the White Center business district.

"They've supported local families going through tragedy, and have fiercely showed their love for the business family in White Center," according to the post.

According to the company's website, Full Tilt Ice Cream was founded in 2008 by Ann Magyar and Justin Cline in White Center:

"Ann and Justin started with the idea to open a shop where families could hang out, artists could display their art, and everyone could eat great ice cream. After we mentioned the idea to a few friends, one of them told us they wished there was a place in the neighborhood to play pinball. Ann had once lived above a pinball parlor, and the idea stuck.

"White Center was already a wonderful neighborhood, but it’s bad rap was keeping too many families from enjoying the amazing blend of restaurants and markets. Our hope was that Full Tilt would help bring the neighborhood out. It worked, and now we have shops in White Center, Ballard, University District, and Columbia City, and a couple more on the way."

Full Tilt has locations in White Center and in Seattle's Columbia City neighborhood. A Ballard location closed in 2023. The ice cream has also been featured at various other businesses and grocery stores.

Cline leaves behind his wife, Ann, children, Moss and Ruby.

"Justin will be missed by so many, because he touched so very many people in his life," the post read. "The number of stories of connections and care that we have heard this past month has been incredible. We have loved hearing all the large and small ways that Justin’s open, giving nature has positively impacted the community as a whole and hundreds of individual lives."

Justin’s family and close friends extend their gratitude for the community's support during this difficult time.

A gofundme for the family had raised more than $65,000 as of Monday.