William Thomas Kunz

To sum up a great life: ‘Bill’ William Thomas Kunz died peacefully at Providence Hospital, Everett, WA on July 31, 2021 after a short hospitalization. He was born on April 25, 1938 in Spokane, WA, the son of James and Lenore (Costigan) Kunz. Bill was the loving husband of Judy (58 years), a father, grandfather, brother, and a faithful friend. His children were: Michelle Weber of Virginia, granddaughters Peal and Judith; Jennifer Raymond of Los Angeles, mother of twin boys, Alec and JJ; Adam of Mukilteo, his wife Amanda and their two children, Will and Ella. Bill attended Catholic schools in Spokane and Metropolitan State University, Denver. He was a member of St. Cecilia Catholic Church, Beaverton, OR for 49 years and due to Covid-19 attended St. Cecilia via Liturgical Broadcast when he and Judy moved to Mukilteo in 2020. Bill earned his “Eagle Scout” badge on 25 Mar 1954. An avid birder, camera always in hand, he searched for that perfect (or not) photo-op. After retiring from Oregon Steel Mills (1988) he turned his daydream of paddling the Columbia into a reality. He meticulously planned a solo kayak trip from the headwaters of the Columbia to the Pacific. In 1993 his good friend John Harpole accompanied him and they set the kayak into the Canada headwaters…”at long last I was off on the adventure.” “It was only a plan on a computer, a midlife fantasy, a dream that had seeded in my youth as doing a Huck Finn version on the Columbia River. Not it seemed like an insurmountable task; 1214 miles of wet adventure.” Solo! John’s farewell expression said, “hope you make it.” Bill battled the fury of the river’s current, the rain and wind (always his nemesis), soaked up the sunny calmness and beauty of the Columbia River, always focused on his final destination. On August 21, 1993 family and friends welcomed the dreamer at Clatsop Spit on day 57. “An end to my great adventure on the En Che Wauna, the great river, the Columbia that will flow peacefully on my mind.” Quotes from Bill’s daily “En Che Wauna Journal”.