Wilmer John (Bill) Niles was born Dec. 14, 1924 in Everett.

Bill was born to Frank and Frances Niles, who had founded The Whidby Record the previous year. He lived in Langley until age 9, then moved to Eastern Washington, where he graduated as valedictorian of Othello High School in 1941.

The impending war combined with Bill’s patriotic feelings to direct him first to electronics trade school and then to enlist in the Navy in 1943. He saw combat in Okinawa, and in Korea during the Korean War. He was commissioned as an ensign in 1956 and retired as a lieutenant commander in 1967.

During his Navy career, Bill was stationed in Washington, Rhode Island, California and Hawaii, and saw many other parts of the world. After retirement he returned to the place he loved most of all, Whidbey Island, in 1969, settling on property that he had purchased years earlier.

He worked for the postal service for many years, delivering mail in Clinton. His great avocation since returning to Whidbey was fishing, combining his love of the sea with a pasttime that filled the freezer with salmon and other bounty. He was a member of Puget Sound Anglers, the Fishing Club, and San de Fuca Chapel. Bill passed away Aug. 10, 2007 at home. He is survived by his wife, Rosie; children, Les of Los Gatos, Calif. and Karen Cave of Charleston, W. Va.; stepchildren Marelee Thorneberry of Orchard, Neb., John Magnuson of Freeland, Melanie Thiessen of Winnipeg, Manitoba, Ross Magnuson of Newcastle, Calif., Kim Thomas of Sanford, Manitoba, Paul Magnuson of Clinton; 18 grandchildren and 8 great-grandchildren.

Donations in lieu of flowers may be sent to the Military Officers Association of America Scholarship Fund, Department 889, Alexandria, VA 22334 (www.moaa.org/about/about_scholarship/about_scholarship_contribute_waysofgiving/index.htm).