Willard Pendleton

YAKIMA - Willard "Bill" Pendleton, 76, a lifelong Yakima resident, died Friday, August 24, 2007, at Yakima Valley Memorial Hospital.

Bill was born January 3, 1931, in Yakima, to Grover and Dora (Byer) Pendleton. Bill's father died when he was a year old and he was raised by his mother. From the time he was very young, he had to earn his own money doing various jobs. Dad was a simple man with few wants and words.

Bill entered the U.S. Army and spent his 21st birthday (as he said) in Korea sitting guard duty with a machine gun. He was discharged in March 1954.

Dad married Mom (Mary) on May 29, 1953. They were married 54 years.

You always knew where to find Dad on the days the horses were running, and he enjoyed handicapping the horses. His second love was playing cards.

Bill worked for the Boeing Corporation in Seattle for five years and then later owned and operated a service station in Yakima for several years. He retired from Yakima Manufacturing after 27 years.

Dad was a wonderful husband, father, and grandfather. If you had a problem, come to him and he would do his best to help.

We will all miss him terribly.

Bill is survived by his wife Mary Pendleton and three daughters, Jan Pendleton, Phyllis (Gerry) Allaire and Marta Wagner, all of Yakima, and one son, Michael (Joyce) Pendleton of Sunnyside; nine grandchildren and eleven great grandchildren.

He was preceded in death by his parents, Grover and Dora Pendleton; two brothers, Jack and Kenneth Pendleton; and a sister, Shirley Jacobson.

Viewing will be from 9 a.m. until 5 p.m. Sunday, from 9 a.m. until 8 p.m. Monday, and from 9 a.m. until funeral time Tuesday, at Langevin-Mussetter Funeral Home.

Funeral services will be at 11 a.m. Tuesday, August 28, 2007, at Langevin-Mussetter Funeral Home. Burial with full military honors will follow at Terrace Heights Memorial Park.