William Dean Dodd Jr.

William Dean Dodd Jr. was born on January 26, 1929 in Seattle, Washington to William Dodd Sr. and Gladys Dodd. Bill Jr. had an older sister named Kitty. Bill grew up in the Greenwood area of Seattle. He went to Greenwood Elementary School. One time, as a boy, he rode his bike all the way out to North Bend on V-Day. Bill Jr. graduated from Ballard High School in 1947.

He just missed WWII but he was drafted into the US Army during the Korean War and he was posted in Germany. He was trained in the dangerous job of finding landmines in Germany, leftover from WWII, and de-activating them.

In the early 1950s, after the Korean War, Bill returned to civilian life in Seattle. He worked in various jobs until he finally settled on working with his father at the Jones and Orth Company, which crafted cutter heads for the saw mills. Bill was a draftsman. He designed the sawblades. And he had amazing penmanship. He became close friends with the Curti family at the company.

He met the love of his life, Jo, for the first time on Aurora Avenue. He ran into some of his friends, one of whom was dating Jo. They soon began to date. In 1954 they were married in the Woodland Park Methodist Church.

Soon Bill and Jo had three children, Susan, Mari and William III. Possibly because his own father was a Mason, Bill became a Mason too, and a Shriner. Bill took it very seriously. He liked belonging to a Fraternal order, probably it provided some way to express his civic duty. He asked to be buried in his Masonic Apron.

When William III was a Cub Scout, Bill, with his engineering mind, helped his son build an amazing Pinewood Derby car. They managed to win twice with their efficient designs.

Bill and Jo made some really great lifelong friends. They really had a lot of good times with these friends. They traveled together to Hawaii. They hosted parties for the gang at each other’s houses, including often at Tony’s house. They went on road trips in their RVs together. They really enjoyed lots of laughs and drinks together. Even Susan joined in the fun later as an adult.

As a couple, Jo and Bill really liked to travel together. They went to Hawaii and Mexico. The last trip they took together was to Alaska, on a cruise. Family collaborated to throw them a 50th Wedding Anniversary Party at the Greenwood Masonic Lodge. It ended up being a real highlight in their lives.

The whole family also traveled together as well. They went to Disneyland. They went to Lake Crescent on road trips. A noteworthy road trip was driving across the country to Chicago, with Grandma in the car, to visit Jo’s Chicago relatives. Bill could be strict as a father but he liked being with family, doing things with family.

One time Susan, as a young woman, went on a Masonic Lodge chartered bus tour with Bill. They made a stop in Leavenworth and people milled about the town. Susan made a comment out loud about some earrings in a window, with Bill within earshot, and before the bus took off Bill returned to the store and bought those earrings for Susan. It was a sweet moment.

Bill himself would have said that he lived a good life. He often said that he was so lucky to have had Jo. He was really appreciative of his life with Jo. “Jo ran the show”, Susan said. “But Bill supported the show that she ran.”

Bill was all about his family. He was really proud of his grandchildren and his great-grandchildren. Some of his grandchildren might even have said that Bill was like a dad to them. They all really loved him.

Bill Dodd Jr. passed away on April 25, 2020. He was 91 years old.

Bill is preceded in death by his wife Jo, and by his sister Kitty.

He is survived by his three children; Susan, Mari and William III (with Jennifer).

His love and legacy will live on in his four grandchildren:

Kenny, Julie, Kelly (with Keith) and Willy.

And in his great-grandchildren: Olivia and Aliana.

We will miss this man Bill. But we will treasure his memory deeply in our hearts. Forever.