He was born in Portland on December 21, 1929. In his youth, Bill attended Multnomah School and graduated from Lincoln High School.
Bill served in the United States Army from February 1951 to January 1953 and was Honorably Discharged as a PFC (E3). He served with HQ and HQ 8th Calvary Regiment as a Mortar Counterfire Rangefinder and he earned the Korean Service Medal with a campaign star and the United Nations Service Medal.
Bill enjoyed a long and successful career as the Safety Supervisor for Esco Corporation, and retired after forty-two dedicated years. Through his career he served at the President of the Portland Chapter of the American Society of Safety Engineers. As a child Bill was a member of the Indian Guides and later in life joined the Scottish Rite and the fraternity of The Masons. Bill had a passion for travelling, fishing, spending time in Central Oregon, and collecting hats and John Deer memorabilia. He did all of his favorite things with his favorite people, his family and friends who he above all things loved spending his time with.
Bill and Mary were married on December 20, 1950, together they raised four children. He is survived by his daughter, Dawn Gray (David); his sons, Jeffrey (Leslie), Scott, and Michael (Debra) Hughes; his grandchildren, Michelle and Joshua Gray, Jeffrey Jr., Jennifer, Joe, Ryan, Matthew, and Michael D.W. Hughes, and Jessica Nelson; and his eighteen great-grandchildren. He will be dearly missed and forever loved by his family and many friends.
Charitable donations in Bill’s honor can be made to the American Cancer Society. Please share your fond memories of Bill with his family through the guestbook portion of his memorial page.
