POWER OF ATTORNEY


     I, George W. Rowley, Jr. , as principal hereby constitute and appoint
Janine Berryman, James R. Boudreau and Kari A. Stenslie, and each of them
individually, as my true and lawful attorney-in-fact to:

     (1)  execute for and on my behalf, in my capacity as an officer and/or
          director of FIRST MUTUAL BANCSHARES, INC. (the "Company"), Forms 3, 4
          and 5 in accordance with Section 16(a) of the Securities Exchange Act
          of 1934 and the rules thereunder.

     (2)  do and perform any and all acts, for and on my behalf, which may be
          necessary or desirable to complete and execute any such Form 3, 4, or
          5 and timely file such form with the United States Securities and
          Exchange Commission and any stock exchange or similar authority; and

     (3)  take any other action of any type whatsoever in connection with the
          foregoing which, in the opinion of such attorney-in-fact, may be of
          benefit to, in the best interest of, or legally required by, me, it
          being understood that the documents executed by such attorney-in-fact
          on my behalf pursuant to this Power of Attorney shall be in such form
          and shall contain such terms and conditions as such attorney-in-fact
          may approve in such attorney-in-fact's discretion.

     I hereby grant to each such attorney-in-fact full power and authority to do
and perform any and every act and thing whatsoever requisite, necessary, or
proper to be done in the exercise of any of the rights and powers herein
granted, as fully to all intents and purposes as I might or could do if
personally present, with full power of substitution or revocation, hereby
ratifying and confirming all that such attorney-in-fact, or such
attorney-in-fact's substitute or substitutes, shall lawfully do or cause to be
done by virtue of this power of attorney and the rights and powers herein
granted. I acknowledge that the foregoing attorneys-in-fact, in serving in such
capacity at my request, are not assuming, nor is the Company assuming, any of my
responsibilities to comply with Section 16 of the Securities Exchange Act of
1934.

     This Power of Attorney shall remain in full force and effect until I am no
longer required to file Forms 3, 4, and 5 with respect to my holdings of and
transactions in securities issued by the Company, unless earlier revoked by me
in a signed writing delivered to the foregoing attorneys-in-fact.

     IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have executed this Power of Attorney as of this 28th
day of April , 200 5 .



                                       /s/ George W. Rowley, Jr.
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                                       Signature

                                       George W. Rowley, Jr.
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