Obituary of William C. Wild

William C. "Bill" Wild Born:1-1-1919 at Chelan Washington Passed:2-17-08 at Tumwater, Washington Bill was born to Claude and Helen Wild at Chelan and raised on the family homestead at First Creek in the Chelan Valley, attending the Lakeside and Chelan Schools until graduation in 1937. He set out to find a career in the airplane industry, attending Washington State College and Boeing Aeronautical School. He subsequently worked at United Airlines and the Civil Aeronautics Board before enlisting in the US Navy in 1944 and going off to Alaska. He married his wife, Nellie, in 1941 and they transferred around the West Coast from assignment to assignment. After his discharge from the Navy, they moved to Chelan in 1946 and took up raising fruit on the South Shore, the second generation to do so. He was a member of the Lake Chelan Fruit Growers’ Board of Directors, Masonic Lodge, Elks, Rotary and St. Andrew’s Episcopal Church. He moved to Tumwater, Washington to be closer to his daughter in 2003. He never lost his interest in electronics from his first crystal set at First Creek where he could talk to his friend on Bear Mountain to radios and TV’s at Carl Hacker’s shop, likewise the urge to fix and drive an aging automobile. Luckily he could build or fix just about anything, which came in handy. A hand carved wooden branch letter opener, inscribed “Scout Camp, Prince Creek, 1930, Billy Wild,” remained in his old tool box. Preceded in death by his wife, Nellie A Wild, and sister, Elizabeth Bowie, he is survived by his daughter, BJ Matthews in the Olympia area. A short inturnment will be held later in the spring at the columbarium, St. Andrew’s Episcopal Church, Chelan Washington. Memorials are suggested to Providence SoundHomeHealth and Hospice, PO Box 5008, Lacey, Washington, 98509, who provided great comfort on his final journey. Lastly, special thank you’s go to the wonderful and caring staff at The Hampton, Tumwater, Washington, he couldn’t have made it without you all. Please leave condolences online by clicking "View Guestbook" below.