H. W. (BILL) SCHIRMER, (age 84)

Our Lord ended his short but hard-fought battle with cancer and other complications on Saturday, Oct. 4th, 2008.

Bill was born in Newton, Kansas on March 14, 1924, to Herman and Mary Schirmer. Bill was the second youngest of 8 children. The family moved to Spring Valley near Newport, Wash. in 1926, and Bill lived there until the early 1940’s when he went to work for the Milwaukee Railroad as a brakeman/conductor. He answered the call to duty, serving his country during World War II in the U.S. Navy, serving on the U.S.S. Attalla, a troop ship in the South Pacific. He returned to railroad service after the war and spent the next 34 years on the rails. Retiring in 1975, he and his wife Ellen moved to Wrangell, Alaska, where they opened Schirmer’s Watch Repair and Jewelry. In 1991, he and Ellen moved to Green Valley, Ariz. to retire in the sunshine. They spent winters there, and the summer months in the Washington State Parks as campground hosts, finally moving to Spokane in June of 2006.

Bill leaves his wife, Ellen and daughter Julie at their home. Also surviving are brother Don and wife Harriet of Wrangell, Alaska, daughter Judy and husband Jim and daughter Chris along with 9 grandchildren, 18 great grandchildren and 1 great-great grandchild, all in or near Redding, Calif. Many nieces and nephews scattered across the country will all remember with love, their Uncle Bill.

After cremation, memorial services will be held on Monday, Oct. 20, 2008 at 2 p.m. at Heritage Funeral Home, Spokane, WA. The family requests any remembrances be donations directed to the VA Medical Center, 4815 N. Assembly Street, Spokane, WA. 99205.