William Charles Schell

Husband

Father

Friend

William “Bill” Schell, 76, went Home to be with The Lord on March 11th. Bill went peacefully in his sleep in the early morning hours just before dawn. Born in Yakima, WA to Emery and Helen (Lynch) Schell, he moved with his family to the Seattle area at a young age, finally settling in Issaquah where he resided through high school. In January of 1955, Bill departed from his hometown of Issaquah to attend Basic Training in California for the United States Army. In April of 1955, Bill went onto Active Duty and assigned to Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri where he served out his enlistment. During those three years, Bill was responsible for training inbound soldiers with his favorite training event being the hand-to-hand combat training evolution. Bill recalled being on night duty on several occasions catching glimpses of Sputnik 1 crossing over the United States in the midnight sky. In April of 1958, Bill came off Active Duty and drove his car all the way back to Issaquah, WA, arriving after dark. Bill had a dog named Poncho, and when Bill left home to serve in the Army, Poncho stayed back on the farm with Bill’s father. Poncho was a good companion, loved Bill, and was an excellent guard dog. On the night that Bill returned home after those 3-years of being away on Active Duty, Bill got out of his car and Poncho was running, barking, and closing in on Bill. While Poncho was still at a distance, there in the dark, Bill called out to Poncho, “It’s me Poncho,” and the dog quickly turned the barking into excitement and nearly knocked Bill over with the joy of seeing his long-lost buddy return home. Bill started work at a hardware store and married Rosemary, a sister of his best friend Sam. Bill and Rosemary had a son Stewart Schell on July 4th, 1961 - and what a good day for a son to be born. While working at the hardware store, Bill noticed a salesman arrive one day in a suit and with a brief case. He thought to himself, “I would sure like to do that,” and that is exactly what Bill did. He found a job within Owens Corning, and thus Bill began the long illustrious career in the field of insulation products for metal buildings that would carry Bill through until retirement. Bill remarried to Mary Gale in August of 1973, they had a daughter Wendy on November 16th, 1975, and later a son David on July 23rd, 1981. Bill remarried on October 29th, 2011 to Jeannette Mitchell. When they were young, Bill and Jeannette had attended the same school in Issaquah, WA. They knew each other, and Bill had once asked Jeannette to the High School Prom. Jeannette gently turned Bill down as she was in a relationship with, and planned to marry Herman Mitchell. In 2006, both of Bill and Jeannette lost both of their spouses to long battles with cancer. Bill and Jeannette reconnected as friends during their High School Reunion in 2010. They hit it off, and were hitched on October 29th, 2011. Their story is truly unique and beautiful. Throughout Bill’s life, in his spare time, he would hike, fish, and hunt duck, pheasant, the occasional grouse, and sometimes deer. When Bill was not doing any of those activities, in his spare time, he would work on projects around the home, spend time at his property in the hills of Plain, WA, which borders the Wenatchee National Forest, or spend time on a boat somewhere out in the Puget Sound. Bill always included family in his activities. Family and relationships were Bill’s center. He never turned anyone away, and he always received friends and loved ones with a smile, a hug, and when appropriate, a kiss. Bill is survived by his spouse Jeannette, his sister Kathleen of Agoura Hills, CA, his son Stewart of Auburn, WA, his daughter Wendie of Kent, WA, and his son David of Kent, WA and six grandchildren. He will be missed and always remembered.