Forest "Bill" Keizer's Obituary
Forest William Keizer
Elsie Marie Pfohl and John Raymond Keizer welcomed their son, Forest William Keizer, September 7, 1917. “Bill,” made his presence known to the world in a big way, having a birth weight of 13 pounds 8 ounces. Bill had a multi-layered, well lived and long life, passing away four months shy of his 100th birthday and three months after the death of his beloved wife, Lee.
Billy moved from McKinley Hill to the relative untamed Browns Point when he was very young. He learned early the value of hard work; daily hauling water from the well, collecting eggs, and chopping wood. His little pony Roxy, often decided home was better than traipsing along a paper route and Bill spent many hours walking miles delivering papers after having been bucked off. His time in the deep woods filled him with the wonder and beauty of nature. He commented that, when a teenager, after seeing the deep brown well of a doe's eyes, he put down his hunting rifle forever.
Bill kept this reverence for wildlife and the outdoors. He enjoyed swimming in streams, walking under waterfalls, and hiking. He often carried the major portion of supplies and bedding for his family of six taking them deep into the wilderness and camping at mountain lakes and in mountain meadows. He was adept at hoisting food high into trees for safety and using lids and pans to shoo away bears. His children had the experience of having their diapers washed in mountain streams, encountering a mountain lion, and throwing flashlights out of tents so lightning wouldn't strike them.
Bill maintained a life long fascination with trees; commenting on their structure and color, texture and form throughout his lifetime. He dug trillium's and other forest plants, transplanting them to his yard. In his eighties, Bill rode his bicycle to the 20 acres of public land adjacent to Kobetich Library devoting hours to keeping the trails clear of debry and branches.
Bill attended Stewart Junior High and Lincoln Highschool, most of the time travelling by bus. For fun or to run an errand, he would row across the Tideflats to the city. When after school sports' activities did not align with the bus schedule, he often walked the seven miles home. Leaving early childhood asthma behind, Bill excelled at sports. His strength and balance assisted him. Awards and titles were achieved in wrestling and pole vaulting. He was also an amazing football player, incredible diver and tennis champion. He had a beautiful crawl stroke (but never could float . . . probably due to his low fat content)! Bill could do a back half gainer off the high dive until he turned 80 and played tennis into his nineties.
Bill continued with the family tradition of working for the railroad. During WWII he repeatedly volunteered to join the military, but was rejected due to his job being deemed as “vital” to the War Effort. During those years, he worked 16 hour days, shoveling seven tons of coal a day in order to keep the steam engines running. Once again, his incredible balance and strength assisted him to scramble up a box car ladder, sprint across the top of boxcars, leaping from one to the next, in order to beat the engine by hopping down and pulling the switch so the train changed to a different track. In August, 1945 when WWII officially ended he was able to finally serve his country and often talked about travelling to Japan on ships carrying rebuilding materials.
Bill was a self made man. He kept a journal everyday and was a voracious reader. He was deeply spiritual and delved into the philosophical, historical and metaphysical. He salvaged everything! He created a lake cabin made entirely by cast offs he brought home from the Railroad yard. He made swing-sets, surfboards and sawhorses, clothes pegboards, cradles and closets, wells, wooden toys, and woodsheds. Bill worked diligently and tirelessly to build a full and rich life for his family of four girls; Jonne Hanson (Stan), Claudia Smith (Scott), Marcia Keizer and Ann Brock (Chuck.) “Play is the best exercise,” he always said - and as a Grandpa he taught his nine grandchildren how to play as well as how to work. The thing he was most proud of constructing was his family. He is survived by his four daughters, nine grandchildren and eight great grandchildren.
A Celebration of Bill’s life, and the life of his beloved wife Lee, who preceded him in death, will be held on August 13, 2017 in Tacoma, Washington. Bill’s friends who would like to attend please email Jonne Hanson at: jhanson@ whidbey.net for details.
Please share your memories of Bill and condolences to the family by visiting the tribute wall.
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