William Paterson

William (Bill) Logie Paterson, founder of the Bellingham Pipe Band and co-founder of the Bellingham Highland Games, passed away with his family present on Sunday, July 27, 2008, at St. Francis Extended Health Care. He was 87, born July 10, 1921, in Clearfield, PA, to Alexandrina Cook (Logie) and Robert Bruce Paterson. Bill graduated with honors from Clearfield High School where he was Valedictorian. In 1943 he graduated from Dickinson College in Carlyle, PA, where he was a member of Phi Delta Theta. He received his teaching credentials from the University of Washington in 1955. During World War II, Bill was a First Lieutenant in the Eighth Air Force and a co-pilot on the B-17 Flying Fortress "ChestY," where he earned the Distinguished Flying Cross. He also received two Presidential Citations and holds the Air Medal with eight Oak Leaf clusters. As a member of the 34th Bomb Group, Bill was a veteran of over twenty heavy bombardment missions over enemy territory. One of his Presidential citations was conferred upon his division for its now historic England-Africa shuttle bombing of Messerschmitt plants in Regensburg, Germany. As a young boy, Bill learned to play the bagpipes and he took them every place he went, even into the service. He was certified to teach bagpipes by the College of Piping out of Glasgow, Scotland. He frequently taught at summer piping schools in California. Bill also made a trip to Japan to teach members of the Tokyo Pipe Band. He taught the original members of the Bellingham Pipe Band and for many years taught individual students in the fine art of piping. He played for many weddings, funerals and community events throughout his life. Needless to say, Bagpipes were his "First Love." Along with his late wife, Isla, he was founder of the Bellingham Highland Games which started in 1961. He was active in the Bellingham Highland Games Association until recently and was Chieftain of the Day for the Games in 2001. Bill also was a member of many other Scottish Associations. Besides the Bellingham Pipe Band, he played bagpipes in the Washington Scottish Pipe Band in Seattle, the Shrine and the Crawford Pipe bands in Vancouver, B.C., and in the City of San Francisco Pipe Band in San Francisco, CA. As a young man, Bill became a charter member of the Masonic Lodge in Clearfield, PA. He was Associate Guardian of Job's Daughters Bethel #25, Bellingham. He was a former member of the Bellingham Yacht Club, the Bellingham Golf and Country Club and Gyro. In 1955 he accepted a teaching position at Mt. Baker High School where he taught World History and Driver's Education. In 1965, Bill and Isla moved to the San Francisco Bay area of California. At the time of his retirement, with the Santa Clara School District in San Jose, Bill was the director of Driver's Education for Northern California. Upon their return to Bellingham in 1978, he taught Driver's Education for the Bellingham School District. Bill was a loving and gentle man who loved his family, his friends and his pets with his whole heart. He was never known to be unkind to anyone. His wife, Isla, preceded him in death in 1998. He will be forever missed by his daughter Kathy Peters and husband Tom Jasnosz of Tucson, AZ, and daughter Nancie and husband Don Silves of Ferndale; grandchildren John Paterson, Noral Engholm and husband Brendan Byrnes of White Rock, B.C., Gina Murray and husband Marty of Long Island, NY, Sean Peters and wife Kathy of Lakeside, CA, and Leslie Driediger and husband Richard of Lynden, WA. He is also survived by eight great-grandchildren, his loving sisters Flora Weyandt and husband Bill of Pinole, CA, and Mary Dufton and husband Jack of Clearfield, PA; nieces Diana Crawford and Catherine Zeiler, nephew Mc Gregor Dufton, and their families. Bill is also survived by his "honorary son," Atsushi Yamane of Japan. A Memorial Service will be held at 11:00 AM on Saturday August 16th, at Bayview Chapel (Lakeway & Woburn). In lieu of flowers, memorials in Bill's name may be made to the Whatcom County Humane Society, 3710 Williamson Way, Bellingham, WA 98225; to St. Francis Extended Health Care, 3121 Squalicum Parkway, Bellingham, WA 98225; or to a charity of your choice. The Paterson family wishes to thank the staff of St. Francis Extended Health Care for the loving care they gave to our father, grandfather, brother, and uncle. Thank you also to Hospice for their care and support. You may share your thoughts and memories of Bill in the on-line memorial guest book at www.molesfuneralhomes.com. Moles Family Funeral Homes & Crematory Bayview Chapel-Bellingham