William Michael SHANKS M.D.

January 31, 1936 – March 20, 2024

Following a long battle with progressive dementia, our dad and grandfather passed away on March 20 surrounded by his family. Bill was born to Lewis and Hazel (Maloney) Shanks in Spokane, where he lived for most of his life. He attended St. Al's Grade School, Gonzaga Preparatory High School, Gonzaga University for his undergraduate degree in English and Pre-Med, and Marquette University for Medical School. After medical school, he returned to Spokane where he met Lois Ryan when they were both medical interns at Sacred Heart Hospital. Bill and Lois married in 1965 and moved to Los Angeles where they completed their medical residencies. They returned to Washington in 1969 and made their home in north Spokane. Together Bill and Lois had six children: Michael, Mark, Mary, Thomas, Deborah, and Sara.

In 1973 Bill and Lois started construction on their cabin in Linger Longer at Priest Lake, Idaho, where they enjoyed summer and winter family adventures on the lake and in the snowy mountains. The family had snowmobiles at the cabin and rode high into the Selkirks with their grandpa and cousins. Bill purchased a sailboat in the mid-seventies that he had for many years. Family and friends shared numerous voyages on the Buccaneer, most of which involved embarking with a full cooler of beer and returning to dock only when it was empty.

Bill had a love of life and all things outdoors. He was a pilot and loved his time in the sky. He taught his children to snow ski and they spent winter weekends at Mount Spokane with their uncle Michael and cousins. They also had many great trips to Red Mountain, Mount Bachelor, Jackson Hole, Sun Valley, Big Sky, Steamboat, Panorama, Whistler, and Alta. Bill was a long-time member of the Prime Timers ski club at Mount Spokane and loved to spend Wednesdays enjoying time with friends. He also learned how to scuba dive and gained certification with all his children. They made many trips to Hawaii and the Caribbean for underwater adventures.

Bill was a partner at Northwest Orthopedic and Fracture Clinic for most of his medical career, where he prided himself in helping people from all over the Inland Empire. He loved his partners and the staff at NWOS and his time at the office as well as their gregarious holiday parties. He also volunteered his time and energy at St. Thomas More, Habitat for Humanity, and numerous other organizations.

Bill also used his orthopedic training to support athletic teams in Spokane including the Spokane Indians, Whitworth Pirates football, Gonzaga University men's and women's soccer teams, and all sports at Gonzaga Prep where his presence on and off the gridiron was constant for more than 40 years starting in 1970. He also loved supporting Gonzaga University basketball, where he was a season ticket holder for more than 45 years. Bill enjoyed traveling all over the county to watch the Bulldogs play in March.

Bill was preceded in death by his parents, Lewis and Hazel Shanks; son, Mark Shanks; wife, Lois Shanks; sister, Patricia Shanks; and brother, Michael Shanks. Bill is survived by his son, Michael Shanks (Ketchum, ID); daughter, Mary Shanks (Seattle, WA); son, Thomas Shanks (Spokane, WA); daughter, Deborah Johnston (Missoula, MT); daughter, Sara Munro (Spokane, WA); and his three grandchildren, Kylee Munro, Jake Johnston, and Kalyn Munro. He is also survived by sisters-in-law, Joan Shanks and Mary Gaffigan; and his nephew and nieces, Matthew Shanks, Mia Davidson, and Emily Scelfo.

Bill would sincerely appreciate any memorial contributions in his name be made to Gonzaga Prep's Fair Share program (1224 E. Euclid, Spokane, WA 99207 or https://www.gprep.com/apps/pages/index.jsp), Gonzaga University Athletics (502 E. Boone Ave., Spokane, WA 99258 or https://gozags.com/sports/2018/6/12/zagsathleticgiving-ZAGsportgiving.aspx), or Priest Lake Search and Rescue (mail checks to 4001 N. Boyer Rd., Sandpoint, ID 83864 payable to Bonner County Sherriff's Office Volunteer Search and Rescue).

A Vigil will be celebrated on Monday, March 25, 2024, at 6:00pm and a Memorial Mass on Tuesday, March 26, 2024, at 10:00am, both at St. Thomas More Church. A reception will follow the Memorial Mass at the Church. Online condolences and memories can be posted at holycrossofspokane.org.