William "Bill" Smith

William "Bill" Smith, age 87 of Cheney, passed away Nov. 26, 2014 in Spokane.

Bill was born May 28, 1927 to David and Eula (Douglas) Smith in Moore Haven, Fla. After World War II started, Bill lied about his age and enlisted in the Coast Guard in 1942 at age 15. The next three years were spent traveling the world and learning to be an electrician.

He met Phoebe Pringle, his wife of 68 years, in Seattle and later followed her to Richland, Wash. where they married in 1946 and Bill went to work  for Hanford. Bill also worked for the Navy in Vietnam and Singapore.  He raised his family in Pasco. 

While in Pasco in the 1960s he played guitar and sang there as "Billy Weston" with his own band and television show. In the 1980s he and his family settled in Cheney where Bill acquired and built apartments that he owned and managed for many years. 

Bill was a member of the Cheney VFW and helped work on the Cheney Veterans Memorial Park. He is survived by his four children: Bill Jr., Michael (Judy), Jewel Baccarella (Pete), Chad; seven grandchildren, 12 great-grandchildren, three great-great-grandchildren and sister, Jewel Milligan.

A memorial service will be held at Cheney Funeral Chapel, Friday, Dec. 5, at 11 a.m. A reception will follow at his daughter's home, 1717 Seventh St. in Cheney, across from Centennial Park. His final resting place will be in the Washington State Veterans Cemetery, Medical Lake, Wash. Cheney Funeral Chapel in charge of arrangements. Visit Bill's online guestbook at cheneyfuneral.com.