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WILLIAM "BILL" ORTON WHIPPLE
March 27, 1924 ~ August 11, 2012
"We love you Grandpa and will miss you dearly!"
Our wonderful Grandfather passed away on Sat. morning, Aug. 11, 2012 at home at Fisher's Landing Assisted Living in Vancouver, WA, under the care of the most wonderful caregivers ever. To these wonderful people we will be forever grateful for the compassion and love that you all gave to our grandpa while he lived there. We simply cannot thank you enough.
Bill was born in Twin Lakes Idaho to Myrtle Amanda and Robert L. Whipple.
As a young man, he joined the Army Air Corps and served during WWII. During his service in WWII, Bill was a trumpet player and played with The Wing Dingers, a traveling variety show that entertained the troops and also served as a company clerk.
After his time in the service he attended the University of Washington and then Gonzaga University getting his degree in Business.
Bill spent time in Spokane, Anacortes, Burlington and Alaska and traveled playing music with various bands and was playing in the Vancouver area when he met his wife to be, Beulah Mercedez Fanning. They were married on Aug. 29, 1964 in Reno, NV.
Bill worked for Northwest Pipeline Corporation as an accountant and retired from there in December of 1980. During his time working for the Pipeline Corp. he continued to play music and often played at Zig Zag Inn on Mt. Hood where he would often take us grandkids there on weekends and would let us sit on the bottom step and watch him perform. He was a very talented musician and loved music and played a variety of different instruments and enjoyed giving trumpet lessons.
He was Grandpa to 11 grandkids, Tony Ferguson, Debbie Pulver, Vickie Ferguson Siemer, Rick Decknadel, Layne Decknadel, John Decknadel (deceased) Patricia Astor, Melissa Goin, John Fanning, Bill Fanning, and Chris Fanning Stejbach; Great Grandpa to 18 grandkids; Great-Great-Grandpa to seven grandkids; and just recently became a Great-Great-Great-Grandpa.
He was preceded in death by his wife, Beulah; his step- daughters, Carolyn Ferguson and Carlean Ward; his stepson, John Fanning; and brothers, Roy and Don Whipple.
He was simply the best grandpa and uncle we
could have asked for. He never missed a moment
to spoil us and did so every chance he got.
He was playful, silly and loved having fun with all
of us grandkids and nieces and nephews. I think we
all can remember being able to reach into his coat pocket and always finding black licorice nips there.
Grandpa requested to not have a funeral. Half of his ashes will be placed a Willamette National Cemetery and the rest will be spread at a later date.
Please sign his guestbook at: www.columbian.com/obits.
Published in The Columbian on August 19, 2012
