Much beloved by family and friends, William Garfield Edward passed away on Tuesday, May 20, 2008.

He was born to Arthur Clarence Garfield Edward and Dorothy Georgina Borland Charles in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada on Nov. 14, 1925.

His college education was interrupted near the end of World War II, when he joined the Royal Canadian Air Force to be gunner on a Fairey Battle fighter/bomber. After the war, he earned a degree in mechanical engineering from the University of British Columbia in 1949.

Bill married his best friend and the love of his life, Louise May Parkes in 1951 and together they had four children.

His work led to a project engineer job in Seattle then to Potlatch Corporation in Lewiston, Idaho where the family lived for 17 years. He and Louise became U.S. citizens in 1961.

He continued with Potlatch in Pennsylvania, and then Walnut Creek, Calif., retiring in 1988 after 33 years.

Bill and Louise moved to Whidbey Island, near Freeland, after retirement to be close to family. Bill loved sports and was an avid golfer his entire life. He was a member and past president of the Useless Bay Golf and Country Club on Whidbey Island. He also volunteered at the local senior center.

He and Louise loved to travel and ultimately visited 47 of the United States, 10 provinces in Canada and 22 other foreign countries.

He loved his family and was proud of his kids and grandsons. Bill is survived by his wife Louise; their sons Stephen and John; their daughters Carol and Anne; seven grandsons and his sister Shirley Cryderman and her family.

A memorial celebration will be held at 1 p.m. Saturday, May 31 at Trinity Lutheran Church, Freeland.

Bill requested that in lieu of flowers, donations be made to the Trinity Lutheran Church to support their humanitarian work of which he was so proud.