Frederick "Bill" William Yeager Jr

In 1945 a sailor by the name of Fred Yeager returned home from the war to his young bride Bernice. Nine months later on September 3, 1946, Frederick William Yeager Jr. was born into a generation of “baby boomers” prospering from a strong postwar economy. “Billy” or “Bill,” as he was later known, grew-up in Edmonds, Washington. Standing at six feet, eight inches tall, Yeager excelled in basketball and baseball. He graduated from Edmonds High School in 1964.

Yeager was heavily recruited by several colleges, but in an attempt to get his grades up, he enrolled at Everett Junior College. There, he again stood out in both basketball and baseball. While at Everett, Yeager led the Trojan basketball team in scoring averaging 18 points and 13 rebounds per game. Yeager also hit a clutch home run in the 1966 state championship baseball game to lead the Trojans to the state title. Yeager was later inducted into the Trojan Hall of Fame in both baseball and basketball.

After completing his Associate’s Degree, Yeager transferred to Seattle Pacific College (now Seattle Pacific University), where he played under the tutelage of head coach and future Seattle Super Sonics general manager Les Habegger. In his senior season at Seattle Pacific, Yeager scored a record 496 points, and pulled down 315 rebounds, which earned him All-American honors, as well as Athlete of the Year. Yeager was later inducted into the Seattle Pacific University Hall of Fame.

In 1966, a fortuitous event changed Yeager’s life forever. Yeager left basketball practice one evening to discover his car wouldn’t start. Thankfully, he was offered a ride home from a beautiful cheerleader named Vikki Angel. Vikki fondly remembers never laughing as hard as she did that night. She knew in that moment she would never love another. Bill and Vikki married on August 10, 1968. That same year Yeager was drafted to the Atlanta Hawks, but ultimately made the decision to play in the European League moving he and Vikki to Lyon France. Thankfully, Vikki majored in the French language, so at least one of them knew which play the coach wanted run. After two years of living in Europe, Bill and Vikki returned to the United States, where Yeager signed to play for the Seattle Super Sonics. However, shortly thereafter a career ending knee injury forced Yeager into the insurance business instead.

Bill and Vikki returned to Edmonds, Washington, where Yeager focused on his insurance career. Name recognition coupled with his impressive stature and likable personality, instantly propelled Yeager’s career. Yeager worked for Bell-Anderson Insurance Agency, where he was quickly promoted to the head of the Employee Benefits Department.

In the late 1970s, Yeager’s collaboration with the Washington Automotive Wholesalers Association (WAWA) was instrumental in the development of a healthcare plan designed for association members. This plan ultimately led to WAWA’s transition in becoming self-funded. Yeager’s work with various trade associations and chambers, allowed these organizations the ability to provide employee benefits to their members.

In addition to WAWA and several chambers throughout the state, Yeager worked closely with the Washington Nursery and Landscape Association, the Washington Retail Association, and the Washington Farm Bureau. Yeager later created his own brokerage company, Association Benefits Corporation with longtime friend, Tom Janssen. Yeager provided the highest level of professionalism and service to all his clients, big or small. Yeager’s integrity and dedication to the people he worked with put him in a class of his own.

Bill and Vikki were blessed with three children Joely, Jaime and Jason. Bill was a very attentive, protective and loving father. He always put his family first. Bill spent endless hours enthusiastically involved in his children’s activities. His greatest passion was coaching. Bill was very dedicated to coaching all three of his children in basketball and softball.

In 1987, after discovering a lack of options in the local area for his daughters to play competitive fast pitch, Bill started the Monarch Fast pitch Team, which later changed their name to the Majestics. In their very first season, the Monarchs won the 12U State and Regional Championships qualifying them for the National Tournament in Chattanooga Tennessee. The Monarchs advanced to the National Championship game, a feat unprecedented by any Washington team before it. Although the Monarchs came up short ultimately losing the title to California, the team stayed together all the way through high school. Coach Yeager and the Monarchs traveled all over the country winning many big tournaments along the way, including several appearances in the National play-offs.

Under coach Yeager’s guidance, most of the Monarch players ended up with college scholarships, some even receiving All-American Honors. Monarch players, such as current Husky Head Softball Coach and Pac-10 Coach of the Year, Heather Tarr, went on to very successful coaching careers of their own.

Yeager’s impact as a coach extended far and wide. Coach Yeager was instrumental in bringing fast pitch softball to Washington State in the late 1980s. Yeager led a campaign against school boards to have fast pitch softball recognized as an interscholastic sport. Yeager argued Washington schools were behind other states like California, and impeding young female players the ability to go to college. Yeager was passionate about everything he did, and he loved coaching girl’s fast pitch. Yeager had a gift for coaching fundamentals and strategy, but more importantly, he instilled valuable life lessons and created opportunity for every young athlete he encountered.

In his free time, Yeager enjoyed golfing, camping and movies. He and his family spent every August at Sun Lakes Resort in Coulee City Washington. A Yeager family tradition carried on from Bill’s childhood. The trip always included a lot of golf, which eventually led to an annual tournament on the last day of the trip. The winner of the tournament was awarded with the coveted green jacket, which was a Master’s tournament replica made by Bill’s wife, Vikki. In true fashion, despite being up against competitors nearly half his age, Bill won the inaugural green jacket tournament being the first to sign his name to the back of the jacket.

Yeager retired from the Insurance Business in 2016. Bill and Vikki built a beautiful home on Duck Lake in Ocean Shores, where they lived out their last days together in the same spot they honeymooned over 50 years before. Bill and Vikki enjoyed relaxing on their back deck and taking walks along the ocean shore with their dog, Buddy. They also never missed a chance to visit their grandchildren and attend their sporting events.

Bill is survived by his Mother, Bernice Yeager (nee Berry), age 98, his wife Vikki Yeager (nee Angel), daughters Joely Yeager, Jaime St. Pierre (Paul), son Jason Yeager, daughter-in-law Heather Prather, and four grandchildren; Marlee, Brock, Eva and Braedy. Bill also leaves behind his brother Paul Yeager, sister Valeria Rodruck, and several extended family and friends.

Bill will be joining in Heaven his father Fred Yeager, Father-in-Law Harold Angel, Mother-in-Law Vivian Angel, and his grandson Liam.

Bill will be laid to rest in a private burial on Friday September 9, 2022 at Evergreen Washelli Cemetery, Seattle, Washington. A public memorial to celebrate Bill’s life will be held Sunday September 11, 2022 at 4:00pm, Husky Softball Stadium, 3807 Walla Walla Rd. NE, Seattle, Washington. Memories and expressions of sympathy can be shared at www.Evergreen-Washelli.com

Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.Evergreen-Washelli.com for the Yeager family.