William Allan Shively

1952 - 2014

William Allan SHIVELY

William Allan Shively was born June 27, 1952 in Hawaii, and died September 28, 2014 in Portland, Oregon after a three-year battle with cancer. Bill had many roles in a life well-lived; he was a much loved son, brother, uncle, and husband, friend, companion. In his professional life, he was a committed, generous, and concerned teacher of pre-schoolers in San Francisco, Japanese residents in Kyoto, and many public and private school special education students in Portland, Sherwood, and Astoria, Oregon.

Bill was a passionate writer, performance poet and spiritual leader in the spoken word scene of the Pacific Northwest for over 30 years. In 1981, Bill was a founding board member of the Red Sky Poetry Theater, Seattle's longest running weekly reading series. Emphasizing performance over publication, Red Sky featured music including the Bill Shively Band. Bill was also a published poet including his most recent Kindle Store book "s/he said." When not teaching, writing or performing poetry, Bill spent his time paddling on the rivers of the West in his canoe, where he took his inspiration from the wildlife and surroundings.

He was pre-deceased by his father, Herb, and is survived by his mother Irene Shively, his wife Anna Laakso, his brother Chuck Shively and wife Gretchen, his sister Dariel Merrills and husband John, and many cousins, nephews and nieces. Donations in Bill's name can be made to the Astoria School District Foundation (www.astoria.k12.org.us) of which he was a founder. A celebratory "Poet's Sendoff", sponsored by his many Seattle poetry friends and colleagues, will be held Saturday October 25, 4:00-7:00 p.m., at the Spring Street Center, 1101 15th Ave, Seattle.