Obituary of William H. Heater

William H. “Bill” Heater
September 25, 1949 - May 21, 2019

My Dad passed away after a brief but courageous battle with pancreatic cancer. He was my hero when I was a little girl, and he has been my hero again up to the very end. He taught my brother and me how to fish, to ride a bike, how to win at Checkers and lose at Monopoly, and to work hard because we owe our boss a paycheck. He tried to teach us not to cry, but unfortunately for me, it didn’t stick. More recently, I taught him to make Taco Soup and egg cups and to say “I don’t love it” instead of “I hate it.” He came home from Arizona after being diagnosed in February, and these past three months spent with him were an unexpected gift.

Born in Ohio and raised in Milwaukie, Oregon, he made a successful career for himself in the trucking industry, starting as a diesel mechanic and working his way up to Terminal Manager at Considated Freightways, and later as a Fleet Manager and VP of Transportation at Silver Eagle Trucking. He also worked for Harris Fuel and Oregon Truck Center before retiring. He spent the last nine winters as a snow bird, among his friends in Wickenburg , AZ leading desert ATV rides, and his summers fishing on his boat out of Cathlamet, WA. He lived life on his own terms right to his last breath, surrounded by his loved ones and peacefully sleeping. At his request, there will be no memorial, but please feel free to share your favorite memories.