Robert W. ‘Bill’ Bierward, 72, a longtime Sedro-Woolley resident, passed away on Monday, July 16, 2007 at the Life Care Center of Skagit Valley in Sedro-Woolley.
Bill was born on April 15, 1935 in Port Angeles, WA, the son of Jack and Katherine Brunz Bierward.
He spent his early childhood in Sedro-Woolley where he enjoyed fishing, swimming in the Skagit River, playing basketball and peeling cascara bark. His dear friend Larry Dye and his father, Herb taught him how to fish and hunt and the art of cascara bark peeling. When his parents became involved with the Western Shows Carnival they later moved to Burlington and then to Bellingham and Bill traveled throughout Washington with his parents cooking hamburgers with the carnival. He graduated from Bellingham High School with the class of 1954.
After high school in 1954 Bill went to work for Northern State Hospital in Sedro-Woolley. On October 1, 1955 he was united in marriage to Pauline Huff in Bonners Ferry, Idaho and they made their home in Sedro-Woolley. During Bill’s employment at Northern State he was drafted into the U.S. Army from 1958 to 1960, and spent time in Korea where he was head cook for the Commanding General.
On his return to Northern State Hospital in 1960 he enrolled in the L.P.N. program at Skagit Valley College, and worked as an L.P.N. and an evening Supervisor at Northern State until its closure in 1973. He then worked as greens keeper at the Gateway Golf Course, an attendant at Gateway Chevron and then as a custodian at Mary Purcell School, where he retired in 1991. Following retirement he bought a boat with plans of spending many hours fishing at Seiku, but fish became scarce so he and Pauline bought a 5th wheel for camping and they spent summers traveling to North Dakota, Idaho and places in between. The past few years they enjoyed long stays at Riverbend RV Park in Twisp, WA where they made many friends and became especially close with the park owners, Ed & Cheryl.
Besides hunting and fishing Bill enjoyed clamming, going to the casino and cooking for the Knights of Columbus for their Friday night steak dinners for many years.
Bill is survived by his wife of 51 years, Pauline at the family home in Sedro-Woolley. 2 daughters; Linda Sue Pulley and her companion, Ron Chrans of Sedro-Woolley and Patti Lynn Dunwoodie and her husband, Steven of Jamestown, ND. 3 grandchildren; Ryan and Alyssa Pulley, and Jerry Velek. A sister; Jean Smith and her husband, Richard of Lake Cushman, WA. 2 half-sisters; Wilma Harnden and her husband, Elmer of Laramie, WY and Ena Kay Blattman and her husband, John of Oak Harbor, WA; a half-brother, Frank Sauers and his wife, Betty, of Seattle, WA and numerous nieces and nephews.
Funeral Services will be held on Friday, July 20, 2007 at 11:00 AM at Lemley Chapel in Sedro-Woolley with Pastor Steve Fish officiating. Interment with Military Honors will follow at the Sedro-Woolley Union Cemetery. Memorials are suggested to the American Red Cross or a charity of your choice. Share memories of Bill and sign the online guest register at www.lemeleychapel.com