William Lamar ‘Bill’ Jenkins, 87, former teacher and principal at North Beach Jr. High, died Tuesday, Oct. 11, 2016, at his home in Hoquiam.
Bill was born in Preston, Idaho, to Anton and Esther (Wetzel) Jenkins on Dec. 19, 1928. They moved to Auburn, Wash., where he graduated from Auburn High School in 1947. He then joined the Merchant Marines until the Korean Conflict and joined the Air Force on Oct. 23, 1950. He was stationed at Mountain Home AFB in Idaho where he graduated from Boise State Univ. with a Master’s in Education in 1966. He was then stationed in Saigon, Vietnam, during the Vietnam Conflict. He received The Bronze Star Medal in 1969. He returned stateside in July of 1969 to McCord AFB, Wash., where he remained until his retirement in May of 1973 as a Senior Master Sargent.
He returned to Idaho and taught school until taking the position of teacher and Principle at North Beach Jr. High School in Ocean Shores, Wash.
It was during this time that he became the Exalted Ruler of the Ocean Shores Elks in the early 1980s. While visiting the Hoquiam Elks, met their club manager and later married Nellie Cummings on July 18, 1983, in Ocean Shores, Wash. She resides at the family home.
In 1999, Bill retired and did substitute teaching for six years before moving to Salem, Ore., in 2005 to teach again. They moved back to Hoquiam two weeks ago.
Bill enjoyed working outdoors and spending time in the garden growing vegetables and flowers.
Bill is survived by his wife of 33 years, Nellie Jenkins of Hoquiam; three sisters: Patricia Taylor of Auburn, Wash., Janet Decora of Idaho and Sarah Field Thomson of Fla.; 16 step-grandchildren and 18 step-great grandchildren. He was preceded in death by a daughter, Pamela Jean Weber and a brother James Jenkins.
There will be a Celebration of Life held Saturday, Oct. 22, 2016 from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. at the Hoquiam VFW. He will be inurned at Tahoma National Cemetery, Kent, Wash.
Messages of condolences and memories can be sent to the family at www.fernhillfuneral.com.
Cremation arrangements are entrusted to Twibell’s Fern Hill Funeral Home in Aberdeen, Wash.
