William John (Bill) Bramwell III passed away Saturday night, December 2nd, 2017 at his home on Vashon Island. He was 71. Born to Virginia (Paquin) and William J. Bramwell Jr. in Hollywood, CA on January 11, 1946, Bill was adventurous and hard working. In particular, he loved the outdoors, good food, French culture, music and dance, woodworking, camping with his grandchildren, cycling, and saunas.

Bill graduated from Claremont High School in 1963, received a BS in Forestry Engineering in 1968 from Oregon State University, a BS in Civil Engineering from the University of Washington in 1974, and a Master of Science in Forestry from the University of Washington in 1977.

During the summers of his youth he worked logging crews along the Olympic Peninsula, dug clams up and down the coast, and watched the Northern Lights from Hoh Peak in 1966. Bill served with the US Coast Guard from 1968 until 1971, volunteered on the Crystal Mountain and Willamette Pass Ski Patrols in the 70s and 80s, and bicycled the 750 km race, Paris-Brest-Paris in 1991. Employment with Weyerhaeuser, the US Forest Service, and Small Business Administration led Bill and his family to Idabel, OK, Aberdeen, WA, Selway River, ID, and Eugene, OR, where he and his first wife, Josephine, raised two children. Bill and Jo eventually divorced and he later married Janeen (Field) Bramwell in 1999. Together, they moved to Vashon Island in 2002. He enjoyed interests in watercolor painting, sculpture, motorcycling, cooking, Tango dancing, target shooting at the Vashon Sportsman’s Club, and deer hunting with his dear friend James. He especially enjoyed the company of his beloved dogs for whom he cared so deeply.

Bill died peacefully, surrounded by his family, after a courageous four-year battle with cancer. He is survived by his wife Janeen, son Stephen and daughter-in-law Katrina Prime, daughter Sarah and son-in-law David Wyrembek, three adoring grandchildren, Brinley, Mae, and Merrick, Janeen’s son Aaron Shigley, and sisters Virginia (Bramwell) Jones, and Joan (Bramwell) Wootton.

A memorial service will be held on Saturday, February 24th, at the Sportsman’s Club, 19720 Singer Rd SW, Vashon Island, at 2:00 pm, reception to follow. All are welcome.