William R. Doncaster

William (Bill) Doncaster of Yakima peacefully went to be with the Lord on Tuesday, September 15, 2020 at the age of 80. Bill was born on June 13, 1940 in Seattle to Ensley (Don) and Florence Doncaster. He spent much of his childhood in Omak and Ephrata, graduating from Ephrata High School in 1958.  Bill graduated from Oregon State University with a B.S. degree in Business and served in the National Guard. He married Anita (Susie) Berk, the love of his life, on November 26, 1966 in Sunnyside. They drove off for their honeymoon in Bill’s treasured 1965 Ford Mustang which remained in his possession until his death. They first settled in the Seattle area where Bill worked for Boeing. Later they moved to the Kennewick and eventually to Yakima where they built their final residence in 1970. At the time of Bill’s retirement, he worked for Washington Beef. He was an active member of Stone Church Assembly of God in Yakima. He is survived by his son, Kelsey (Karla) of Yakima and three grandchildren: Millicent, Violet, and Lillian. A brother John (Jennifer) Doncaster of Quincy and a sister Jean (John) Hendricks of Salem as well as many nieces, nephews, and cousins. His wife Anita (Susie) preceded him in death in May of 2019. Bill was loved and cherished by his many extended family members. He was respected and loved for his gentle, easygoing personality and sense of humor. Several family members who traveled with him over the years said he was the best traveling companion you could have. He loved to travel and took his final trip in February of 2020. It was an inspirational journey to Israel; he loved to talk about how he walked where Jesus walked. His many travels took him from cold wintertime weather in Alaska to springtime in Death Valley; to the East Coast, the Mid West, and down the Mississippi River on a steamboat. Short trips to the many corners of the Pacific Northwest were a common mini vacation. Major vacations took Bill, Susie, and Kelsey internationally to Europe and Canada to visit many of the great historic sites. Panning for gold was the hobby of choice for Bill. His quest for the golden nuggets took him all over Death Valley, Nevada, Alaska, and Washington State to name just a few places. In addition, he served as President of the Yakima Prospectors Association for many years. Bill enjoyed showing others how to pan for gold, and his greatest joy was to see the look of surprise in the eyes of the novice trainees when they saw their first color of gold.

Graveside service will be at Lower Valley Memorial Gardens in Sunnyside on Wednesday, September 23 at 11:00 AM. Those wishing to sign Bill’s online memorial book may do so at www.funeralhomesmith.com  Smith Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made to Union Gospel Mission in Yakima or to the Red Cross for the Fire Relief Fund.

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