John William Bottgenbach, Jr

John (Bill Botch) William Bottgenbach Jr was born October 26, 1942 to John and May Bottgenbach Sr in Buhl, Idaho. The family moved back to Port Angeles in 1943. Bill graduated from Port Angeles High School in 1960.  His carpenter class helped build the local Olympic National Park Visitor Center among other projects, and after graduation he fought forest fires for a short time before enlisting in the United States Airforce in 1961.

Bill was stationed at George Airforce Base in Victorville, CA where he worked as a jet aircraft mechanic. During the Cuban Crisis he was sent to Spain and Germany for a few months.  While stationed in Victorville, he met his future wife Donna from San Bernardino, CA.  Bill and Donna married February 28, 1963.  In 1964 he was then stationed at Kadena Airforce Base in Okinawa, Japan where Donna was able to join him.  Their first child Tawny was born there in 1965.

His first job after the Airforce was at Crown Z Paper Mill in Port Angeles, WA.   After their second daughter, Trina, was born in 1966, the family moved to Federal Way, WA where Bill took a job at Boeing in 1965 as an aircraft mechanic.  He worked on the flightline crew who were the last to work on the planes before the customer accepted the Boeing 707, 727, and 737s.  Bill was proud to be one of the first to work on the 747s.  Three years later, the family moved back to the Port Angeles/Sequim area working again at Crown Z.  In 1970 their third daughter Teila was born.               

After Crown Z, Bill worked as a carpenter, a logger - running a yarder - with Ken Huether Logging, and then as maintenance and building supervisor at Sherwood Manor, Sherwood Village and Avamere for Bill Littlejohn.  He began working with the Olympic Ambulance and became an EMT.  Bill worked for Mr. Littlejohn for 20 years.  He retired in 2005.  Donna and Bill also worked as night managers for Fifth Ave Retirement Center in Sequim, for a total of 9 years.

Bill belonged to the Sequim Seventh-day Adventist Church.  He was very active in church. Bill organized several mission trips to Arizona and Mexico.  He loved to travel, and besides his time in Okinawa, they visited Canada, Europe, Mexico and almost all the states.

In 2011 Bill lost his leg due to diabetes, but that did not slow him down.  He continued doing many of the things he enjoyed, even building a utility trailer while sitting in a wheelchair.  A favorite pastime was working with his good friend, Bud Calvin, transforming lawn mowers into unique vehicles.  They even built a Peterbilt Logging Truck that was a scale of the real thing.   They would proudly drive them in local parades.  Until recently Bill was active in the Local food bank and other community programs.

Bill loved his wife (of almost 59 years), daughters and grandchildren.  Bill passed away January 19, 2022 and is awaiting the return of Jesus, when God has promised to make all things new.

He is survived by his wife Donna Wheeler Bottgenbach, his 3 daughters, Tawny Bullock, Trina Hall, and Teila Henning, 10 grandchildren and 4 great-grandchildren and several nieces and nephews.  Bill was also survived by his brothers James and Jerry Bottgenbach.  He was preceded in death by his parents, John and May Bottgenbach, brother David (Joe) Bottgenbach, and sister Carol Jean Parker. 

Memorial service will be held February 12, 2022 at the Sequim Seventh-day Adventist Church at 3:00 pm.

In lieu of flowers, please consider donating to your local food bank. 

                                                Bill Bottgenbach’s family

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