William Lockwood

1944 - 2025

William (Bill) Lockwood
May 23, 1944 - May 15, 2025
In loving memory of William Alferd Lockwood, age 80, who died peacefully May 15, 2025, at his home in Okanogan, Washington, with family by his side. He died from complications of Alzheimer's.
Bill was born on May 23, 1944, in Eugene, Oregon, to Alferd and Zelma (Carson) Lockwood. His early years were spent in Issaquah, Washington, until 1954 when the Lockwoods bought a dryland wheat ranch in the Chiliwist Valley outside of Malott, Washington. Bill attended grade school at Malott Elementary, and he graduated from Okanogan High School in 1963. Bill became an Eagle Scout in the tradition of his father and grandfather. He attended the University of Washington as a proud member of the Pi Kappa Alpha Fraternity and earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Business Administration in 1968. During college, he served in ROTC and then for two years as a Lieutenant in the US Army, with one year in Vietnam.
Bill received early instruction in flying from his father, Al, who was a commercial pilot, instructor, and crop duster. Bill earned his private pilot's license at the age of 16 and pursued his profession of flying for the rest of his life, even building his own private airfield near his home in Okanogan for his crop dusting business. He married Donita Hendrickson Lockwood in 1982, and together they raised two daughters, built their home in 1987, operated his aerial application business, farmed their apple and cherry orchards, and raised registered Vizsla bird dogs.
Bill loved skiing with his daughters on the Loup, hunting upland game birds and big game with his friends on his game farm and shooting preserve, fishing with his jet boat on the Snake River, and flying his 2-seater float plane to Anchorage, Alaska, for a summer of fishing in the surrounding lakes. He spent the winter months maintaining and rebuilding his powerful AgCat spray planes. In the winter, he would park his float plane on the Snake River when staying with Donita's parents.
Bill served many years as a board member of the National Agricultural Aviation Association, representing the Pacific Northwest Aerial Applicators Alliance, serving as Treasurer of the National Association in 2003. He served as President of the PNWAAA in 2008 and 2009. In 2009, he received PNWAAA Operator of the Year. In 2024, he received the Wright Brothers Master Pilot Award from the FAA.
Bill is survived by his wife, Donita at the family home, his children, Abbie (Jack) Bonney, Owen and Sam, Anchorage AK; Cathy (Brad) Eylar, Harper and Henry, Reardan, WA; his sister Linda Lockwood (Bob), Seattle, WA; and many nieces and nephews. A celebration of life will be held May 31, 2025, at 12 noon at the United Protestant Church, 2nd and Morrow in Mansfield, WA.
Donations in Bill's name may be made to:
PNWAAA, Fallen Pilot Fund, PO Box 55, Quincy, WA 98848
Mansfield Volunteer Ambulance, PO Box 326, Mansfield, WA 98830
Agriculture Museum, 1150 Lakeland Dr., Jackson, MS. 39216 (please note on the donation that it is to go to the Agriculture Museum).