Bill Schirmer

Bill was born Dec. 18, 1927, in Spokane
to Stanley W. and Edna Meyers
Schirmer. He began elementary school
in Seattle, and moved in 1940 with his family to Dayton,
where he completed his education and graduated
from high school in 1946.

Shortly after the end of World War II, Bill enlisted in
the Army Air Force for a three-year enlistment. Bill
completed technical training at Lowry Air Force Base
and was assigned to the 8th Air Force, 43rd Bomb
Group at Davis-Monthan Air Force Base, which had
B-29 aircraft. Bill enjoyed the Air Force very much
and was promoted to staff sargent before the age of
21.

After his military commitment he entered college
at Northern Idaho College of Education in Lewiston,
Idaho, and then transferred to Washington State College.
Major studies were business and education.
Bill married his college sweetheart, Jo Ann (Jody)
De Priest, on June 20, 1953, in Longview, Wash. They
lived in Walla Walla for a short time before moving
to Dayton, where Bill joined his father as a commission
agent for Richfield Oil Corporation. Bill sold
his oil business in October 1964, and began a very
successful 30-year career with New York Life Insurance
Company. He was a speaker at many agency and
company meetings and was presented with several
awards for outstanding production. Bill was very active
in community affairs. He was president of the
Dayton Kiwanis Club in 1959, and then headed the
committee when Kiwanis began and sponsored the
Yamate High School Japanese student exchange program.
The program has been very successful extending
to other communities and resulted in sending our
students to Japan.

In 1970, Bill, his wife, family and Jayne moved to
Walla Walla and he opened his New York Life office
in the Seattle First National Bank Building, where he
remained for 25 years until retirement. He continued
to be active in community affairs, was a life member
of the Elks Club, former member of Exchange Club,
Walla Walla Chamber of Commerce, United Way,
Walla Walla Country Club, Walla Walla Life Underwriters
and a member of The First Congregational
Church. Bill was an active participant in the development
of the Walla Walla Hot Air Balloon Stampede,
which had its beginning in 1974, and has become an
annual event in Walla Walla.

Bill enjoyed traveling with his wife Jody in their
motor home, spending many winters in Arizona. Together
they enjoyed fishing and spent many days in
the area RV parks and Snake River sites. Bill also
enjoyed building and flying radio-controlled model
aircraft. He was co-founder of the Walla Walla Valley
Proptwisters, which formed and maintains a flying
field at Fort Walla Walla Park.

Another enjoyment was listing to the music of The
Big Bands of the 1940s and ‘50s, bird watching and
keeping records of when and where seen, and an avid
computer fan.

Bill is survived by his son, Mark Schirmer of Collierville,
Tenn.; granddaughter, Ashley Schirmer; and
special caregivers, Ellen Bender and Vicki Frazier
of Umapine. Preceded in death by his wife, Jo Ann
Schirmer; daughter, Jayne Schirmer; and his parents.

Graveside service will be held on Thursday, Nov. 6,
2014, at 2 p.m. at the Blue Mountain Memorial Gardens
Cemetery with Adam Kirtley of First Congregational
Church officiating. Memorial donations may
be made to Blue Mountain Humane Society of charity
of choice through the Herring Groseclose Funeral
Home, 315 W. Alder, Walla Walla, WA 99362.