Bill Endicott, age 91, passed away March 12, 2018 in Everett, Washington after a battle with pneumonia. The last three years of his life were lived in an Adult Family Home for Dementia. Bill was preceded in death by his parents, his grandson, Jeremy Endicott and his nephew, Kirk Gormley. He is survived by his devoted wife of 50 years, Irene, his younger brother, Leo Gormley of University Place, WA (Myra), his niece, Kyle Nelson and nephew Rick Gormley (Denise), his former wife, Adele Patten; three children, Deanne Horton, Fresno, CA; Bill Endicott, Jr (Valerie), Mobile, AL and Jim Endicott (Diana), Newberg, OR. He married Irene Sanders in December of 1967 and became Dad to her four children also; Tom Sanders (Shelley), Sea-Tac, WA; Steve Sanders, Lake Stevens, WA; Doug Sanders, Bothell, WA and Melissa Sanders, Danville, CA. Bill was very proud of his grandchildren: Christopher Horton (Jina), Scott Horton, Brian Horton (Brenda), Anna Endicott, Adam Endicott, Amy Wolff (Jake), Olivia Moore (Jason), Michelle Leyva (Ryan), Stewart Sanders, Sam Keller, Gabrielle Parisella, Kris (McKinley) Farrell and Kory Farrell. He was also very proud of his great-grandchildren; Justice Horton, Sarah Horton, Adam Horton, Jacob Horton, Jayden Horton, Abigail Horton, Avery Wolff, Harper Wolff, Alice Anne Moore, Caleb Endicott, Molly Endicott, Mackenzie Keller, Savannah Leyva, and great, great granddaughter, Chloe Grace Horton. He enjoyed knowing his many nieces and nephews and countless colleagues and friends. Bill was a child of the Depression and a member of the Greatest Generation. He was born in LaGrande, OR, lived in Coeur d’ Alene, ID, Aberdeen, Kirkland and Marysville, WA. In 1944, on his high school graduation day, Bill joined the long line of America’s best young men in downtown Aberdeen to enlist in the United States Army. He had his 18th birthday on the island of Luzon in the Philippines in WWII. He served in the 33rd Infantry Division and also with the U.S. forces in the Japanese Occupation. After the war, Bill worked in radio and television, as Public Relations Director for Rocket Research, then opened his own financial public relations firm in Seattle, Corporate Communications, Inc. He and his wife, Irene, produced a quarterly national newsletter for WWI and WWII veterans of the 33rd Infantry Division and chaired reunions every two years around the country for 29 years. Bill was on the team that founded Thousand Trails Campgrounds and Horizon Airlines. He wrote the book, Remember the Magic, the story of Horizon Air. With one quarter of junior college, Bill was sometimes asked what law firm he represented and which CPA firm he was with. Bill was a pilot for 68 years. He owned several planes. Acquiring and flying his own biplane was a dream come true for the boy whose mother lifted him up at the airfield so he could watch the planes take off in the 1920’s. In 2000, he and his WWII buddy drove a vintage open-air jeep from Fort Lewis, Washington to Fort Belvoir in Virginia. The historic 12-day jeep trip was to promote funds to build the Army National Museum in Washington, D.C. The two great-grandfathers were met by dignitaries and generals and had the great honor of laying a wreath at the Tomb of the Unknowns. Bill counted that as one of the highlights of his life. In retirement, his sons and daughter delighted him with a complimentary trip in a vintage B29. His stepson, Steve Sanders accompanied Bill on an Honor Flight where he visited the WWII Memorial and the Army Museum. Bill was a man of great faith who loved God, his country and his family. A celebration of Bill’s life will be held at 2 pm on Palm Sunday, March 25th at North Creek Presbyterian Church, 621 164th St. SE in Mill Creek, Washington 98012. For more information: [email protected]. All are welcome to honor a great patriot, a loving husband, dad, grandpa, great-grandpa and friend. Remembrances are suggested to the Freedom Foundation, Olympia, WA. Special thanks to Chie Mendoza and her staff at Homecomings IV for their love, expert care and compassion.
SHARE OBITUARY
v.1.8.18