Our friend, Bill Burnett, born May 5, 1936, died Saturday morning, Jan. 19, 2013, in Tukwila, Wash., from complications of Alzheimer’s Disease. He was 76 years old, an Episcopal priest for 50 years, and a gentle generous soul, beloved of many. He was “Father Burnett” to some, “Father Bill” to many, and “FB” to all of us who were kids when we met him. He is greatly loved and sorely missed.

Bill was a third generation native Washingtonian, the only child of Melbourne Burnett and Marian C. Hutcheson. Born in Seattle, he graduated Magnolia Grade School, Queen Anne High School, The University of Washington, B.A. Sociology (Phi Kappa Sigma), and Church Divinity School of the Pacific, M.Div.; ordered priest 1962, serving at his home parish, Ascension, Magnolia, and in 1965 moving to serve at St. John’s, Kirkland and mission churches in Juanita and Redmond. It was there that he met his long-time friend, R. James Enslow.

In 1968, he served briefly at St. Matthew’s Episcopal church in San Mateo, Calif., where he was adopted (figuratively, not literally) by the McKenna family.

Bill returned to Washington state in 1969 to become Vicar at St. Augustine’s-in-the-Woods, a mission church in Freeland on Whidbey Island. With his friend Brian, he was met in the old Payless parking lot by a young mother named Judy, who escorted them to the little A-framed church. It was not his first time on Whidbey. He recalled visits as a child to a little cabin on Brown’s Point (now Sandy Point). He was honored, as an adult, to be interviewed for a history of Cama Beach on Camano Island, of which he had many fond memories, having visited with his parents for a week every summer.

He built his home on Saratoga Passage with a view of Cama Beach, which he was wont to point out. In the same view stands a tall craggy tree which frequently hosted eagles in its upper branches and provided much delight. Bill was a cat fancier and not long without one or two. He faithfully fed birds and squirrels.

He served St. Augustine’s until his retirement from parish ministry in 1998, having elevated the mission to parish status and spearheading the creation of a new spacious sanctuary filled with the joyous sound of an authentic hand-built pipe organ, which he made happen because he loved pipe organ music. Upon retirement he was named Rector Emeritus, which greatly pleased him.

Fr. Bill was founding pastor of the South Whidbey Church Council and mentor to new clergy to the area. His diocesan level service included stints on the Diocesan Council, the Standing Committee, and with the Ecumenical/Interfaith Office. He was “The Venerable” when he was the Archdeacon for Northwest Washington.

In the community, Bill collaborated with many leaders to create the Help House (crisis line and social supports), was a board member of Good Cheer, the hospital board (even before Whidbey General was built), the Whidbey Aids Support Fund, Mental Health, and the Island County Aids Task Force. He was the “angel” behind the Soup Coop in Langley in the 1970s, providing ongoing financing.

Bill loved to travel, meet new people, and experience new cultures. He ventured throughout Europe, both eastern and western, starting in the early 1960s. He rode the Trans-Siberian Railroad, traveled on The Orient Express, explored the Greek isles, traversed New Zealand north to south, and visited Hawaii frequently, where he helped build “Green Mansions,” a small hillside cabin on the lush east end of another island paradise, Moloka’i. Bill worked on an interfaith peace mission to Israel and Palestine and visited Russia many times, working with the St. Petersburg –Seattle sister-churches program, which went on to found the first children’s hospice program in St. Petersburg.

Bill is survived by his family, R James and Brian, and by many church and community members who knew and loved him.

Bill Burnett touched people in this community at many levels. He was a nurturing teacher, a compassionate minister, and a devoted “friend with a capital ‘F’”, as he would say. He may not be a saint yet, but, with his coming and going, leaving us with his gifts of kindness, wisdom, and support, he was likely an Angel.

A Requiem Eucharist will be celebrated on Wednesday, Jan. 30, at 2 p.m. at St. Augustine’s, 5217 Honeymoon Bay Road, Freeland, (360) 331-4887.

In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to: The St. Augustine’s Endowment Fund, P.O. Box 11, Freeland, WA 98249; the Whidbey AIDS Support Fund, P.O. Box 248, Langley, WA 98260; The Alzheimer’s Association (info@alz.org), or a to charity of your choice.