Obituary: Rae, William Stuart
He was born on August 11, 1939 in Bend, Oregon, to Scotty and Mildred Rae.
His life was forever enriched by the beauty of the mountainous surroundings of his boyhood home.
He spoke of central Oregon lovingly and often.
His stepfather was a boomer construction worker and because of that, Bill lived in many interesting and fun places as kid - including Grand Coulee during the dam construction and pre-war Anchorage, Alaska.
He came to Spokane in 1943.
He was a proud graduate of Libby Junior High and the Lewis and Clark High School Class of 1947.
He maintained lifetime relationships with the many friends he made in those fine schools and the “East Ender” buddies from his neighborhood.
Bill served two years in the Army Counterintelligence Corps during the Korean conflict and did his training at the infamous spy school of Fort Holabird, Maryland.
He never forgot the lock-picking and code-breaking skills they taught him!
He lived several years in San Francisco after his discharge.
He returned to Spokane in 1954, attended Kinman Business University on the GI Bill, and began a life- time career with Washington Water Power Company.
He retired in 1988.
Bill is survived by his wife, Bonnie, and his daughter and son-in-law, Bonnie and Tim Wood.
He leaves behind grandson, Nick Wood and his wife, Ashley of Bothell; also granddaughter, Ali Herron and her husband, Ryan of Portland.
He has one great-grandson, Easton Wood, of whom he was very proud.
A second great-grandchild will be born in May.
His nephews Pat and John Mears, and his nieces Ky Mears and Kim Abbate’ were very dear to him.
He is also survived by his stepdaughters Amy Brown and Chloe Senger, to whom he was always a kind, fun-living, and caring stepdad.
Bill was preceded in death by his parents; his stepfather, Wilbur Watkins; his sister, Joanne Jones and his sons, Billy and Jim Rae.
He leaves a wonderful legacy of good humor, stoicism in the face of adversity, and helpfulness.
He was a loyal friend, a great husband, and a good guy to know.
He was crazy about golfing, gardening, traveling and watching TV.
He took a lot of pride in the fact that he had been a volunteer at Bloomsday Registration almost from the beginning.
His real passion the last few years, though, was going to the casino.
The Coeur d’Alene Tribe will definitely notice his absence out at Worley!
There are no words to express how much Bill Rae is going to be missed.
The world seems emptier already.
A Military Service will be held at the Washington State Veteran’s Cemetery at 21702 W. Espanola Rd., in Medical Lake, on Friday, April 17th at 1:30pm.