William Howard Carlson (Bill) passed away on April 4, 2017 in Anacortes. He was born in Bethel, Washington on Jan 25, 1937. He grew up on a dairy farm on Burley Creek in Port Orchard Washington with his parents and sisters Arlene, Suzanne and Jeanne.

Bill graduated from South Kitsap High School in 1955. He married his high school sweetheart and they had two sons Mike (Julie), Howard (Dawn) and two daughters Judi (Pat) and Susan.

As soon as Bill and Maryln were married, Bill gave up the dairy farming to start a logging company. They logged in Kitsap County until 1964 when he was presented with the opportunity to finish a logging contract on Waldron Island. The contract was to log the timber on land owned by Barbara Stratton who was the sister of Sam and Robert Buck. Bill and Maryln negotiated the purchase of the Stratton 490 acres on Waldron. That purchase is what established the Carlson family in the San Juans.

In 1995, Bill and Cherie Lindholm married. Cherie had five kids Cindy (Jim), Roxanne, Eric (Jean) Mary Sue (Sonny) and Rainy (Brad)

The two enjoyed each other very much and had much in common. They spent lots of time in the summers on Waldron, boating in the Canadian Gulf Islands, and their winters in Palm Springs with their many friends.

Together Bill and Cherie had 9 children, 20 grandchildren, 22 great-grandchildren and 1 great-great grandchild.

Bill spent most of his last years living at their waterfront home on Orcas Island. He was preceded in death by his parents, his daughters Susan, Cindy and Roxanne.

There will be a celebration of Bill’s life on June 24 at starting at 1 p.m. at the American Legion in Eastsound. All who knew Bill are welcome.