THOMAS WILLIAM "BILL" TURNER

Thomas William "Bill" Turner passed away at Fidalgo Care Center on May 4, 2011. He would have been 90 years old on July 11, 2011. His parents were Lewis and Elizabeth Warriner (Turner). Those are the vital statistics.

He leaves behind his wife, Patricia "Pat", a brother in Colorado, nieces and nephews, and longtime patrons of the family business, Simmonds Paint and Glass on Commercial Avenue.

Bill and Pat, natives of Mount Vernon, came to Anacortes to take over the Simmonds operation which had been established by his stepfather. This occurred after his discharge as a member of the U.S. Navy/Armed Guard detachment convoy out of Brooklyn. He served in the Mediterranean, Caribbean, and South Pacific. He later was to join his stepfather who needed some temporary post war help in Anacortes.

Owner Simmonds, soon decided Bill and Pat were perfect to take over the store operations and ultimate ownership. Forty years later, the store, well established, was sold and relocated to its current location on Commercial Avenue.

During this 40 years (and many more after their retirement), Bill and Pat, individually and collaboratively, were a great couple community wise. Bill was a major player in Planning Commissions at the city, county, and state levels. He was named to the first Skagit Board of Adjustments.

State Chief Justice Charles F. Stafford (a native from Anacortes) named Bill to a committee to study the Washington State Appellate Court system at the University of Washington. He was a founding member and past president of the Anacortes Junior Chamber of Commerce. In addition, he was State Director of the organization. This was only the tip of his civic iceberg. A sense of humor he had in spades. He could emulate many of the great comics of his day.

As for Pat? She was the perfect support arm as keeper of the business books, a reigning hostess, home decorator, and to all who knew her, the quintessential example of understated style. Yes! Bill and Pat were a winning team in all respects. He didn't dress too shabby, either.

Bill loved music. In his own words: "From Stravinsky to Sinatra to Sons of the Pioneers." He was a circus aficionado with a collection of midway posters over the years. He loved the circus and was usually on the lot before the shows rolled in! He was also a fan of old time radio and had a huge collection of sculptured elephants, about which he said: "I would probably have had a real one, but I had no room for a litter box."

Bill was also a major player in the rehabilitation of Mount Vernon's Lincoln Theater. He also played in a couple of regional bands as a youth. He recalled that he could have been a world class musician, but in his own words, he said he had "no talent." That's not true, but the horn he never liked to blow was his own.

He was a proud alumni of Mount Vernon High School (1959) and of Mount Vernon Junior College, presently SVC.

Bill's range of friends was wide and diversified. All of whom were drawn to him for many reasons. His loyalty to Pat and his town was legendary, and (hiss-boo) Mount Vernon High School.

Bill was trustee of the Skagit Museum of History, involved in the early years of the Mariner's Pageant, on Dean Maxwell's mayoral campaign committee, and among the early organizers of the Anacortes Arts and Crafts Festival. He was also recipient of the Chamber's Volunteer of the Year and Senior Achievement Award.

Bill was for 18 years a member of the C of C's hugely successful Visitor Information Committee.

Bill and Pat had a list of achievements: personal, town, their Guemes beach house, extensive travel, their talent to entertain, we could go on and on, but lack of space forbids. His was a life fully lived. He and Pat were a perfect compliment. As many of your friends (who were legend) say in closing: It was go great to know you both.

Arrangements were handled by the Neptune Society. Memorials in Bill's name may be made to a charity of choice.

Longtime friend,
Wallie Funk