William Allen Gies

William Allen Gies was born March 31, 1930, in Walla Walla to parents William Gies and Mollie Oswald. He attended Paine School and Walla Walla High Schools in his formative years. When he was 15, he met a sassy girl who lived a block away (Coralie Jean Bennett) and was completely enamored of her. They fell in love and were married very young in Lewiston, ID, on January 11, 1948. They were married for 64 years when she passed away in 2012.

For several years, he held a number of jobs, then drove truck for various firms until he founded his own truck firm, State Motor Freight, which he owned for many years. Coralie was the bookkeeper for many of those years. He sold State Motor Freight and began the G&S Cattle firm. After his retirement, they spent many years traveling in their "mobile home," wintering in Yuma, AZ, where they had many friends, and summers traveling the US and fishing in Alaska.

He is survived by his children, Thomas Wayne (Callie), Pasco, WA, Bill (Yolanda), Bob (Amy) High Point, NC, daughter-in-law, Rosie Gies; son-in-law, Tom Richwine; 12 grandchildren and 27 great-grandchildren; brothers-in-law, Josef Papp, William Bennett, and sister-in-law, Crystal Krebs. He was preceded in death by his parents, wife Coralie; sister, Geraldine Papp; brother, James and wife-Judy; daughter, Donna Lynne Richwine; son, David Gies; son-in-law, John Seeliger, six brothers-in-law, and six sisters-in-law.

Funeral service will be held on Friday, October 7, 2022, at 1:00 pm, at the Chapel of the Herring Funeral Home, 315 W. Alder St., Walla Walla, with Reverend Steve Morris officiating.

The family would like memorial contributions made to the Shriners Children’s Hospital of Spokane, WA, through the Herring Groseclose Funeral Home, 315 W. Alder St., Walla Walla, WA 99362. In addition, friends and family are invited to sign the online guestbook at www.herringgroseclose.com.