William "Bill" Birdsall came into this life on 29 April 1918 in Bothell, Washington and passed away peacefully on 5 September 2021 in Mt. Angel, Oregon after living a rich and full life.  He grew up in Sultan and Monroe, Washington, and graduated from Sultan High School.  Shortly after, he joined the Coast Guard where he served for several years, including working aboard troop transport ships during WWII.  He met Karel Lapp in 1944 at a USO event while dancing to the Glenn Miller Band at the Hollywood Palladium in Los Angeles and instantly fell in love with her.  They were married four months later and celebrated their 77th anniversary in August 2021. Bill is survived by two daughters, Charlie (Charlene) and Jackie (Jaclyn), as well as four grandchildren and five great grandchildren.

Throughout his life he was a master woodworker and craftsman, building the family home from the ground up.  He created many beautiful and original pieces from a variety of materials and you could always find him in his workshop or out in his garden, where he grew a variety of plants, including vegetables and fruits.
He and Karel were avid square dancers, taking many trips with their square dance club to many places in the US and even the Caribbean, where they even danced in Hell (Cayman Islands)! He had a real knack for photography and took hundreds of photos on their trips and elsewhere
and presented slide shows at senior centers, where they were well received and enjoyed by the residents.

He enjoyed fishing, camping, and hiking in his younger years.  He also was a wonderful storyteller and had a great sense of humor.  He was well loved by his family and friends and will be missed dearly.