William Paul Cowals

June 6, 1927 – Sept. 15, 2015

William Paul Cowals, 88, of Poulsbo, died Sept. 15, 2015. Originally a homeowner in West Seattle, he and his wife, Lucille, moved to a home they built on Liberty Bay in 1969.

William spent his childhood in Yakima then moved to Coulee Dam when his father joined the Bureau of Reclamation as an engineer in building Grand Coulee Dam. He attended Lakeside School in Seattle, living in the dormitory and commuting home to Coulee Dam on weekends. At the time of his graduation in 1945, he had been named Boy Scout of the Year and his name engraved on the school plaque for Character & Integrity.

After serving in the Navy during the close of WWII, William graduated from Whitman College in Walla Walla, then obtained a degree in civil engineering from the University of Washington.

He worked as a civil engineer for the State of Washington, Puget Sound Bridge and Drydock Company and Lockheed in California, Alaska and Washington. At Lockheed, he formed Northstar Toastmaster Club, encouraging fellow employees to improve their public speaking skill.

A strong advocate of wildlife and protecting our natural surroundings, William supported conservation and wildlife habitats wherever he lived. Raccoons, squirrels, deer and an abundance of birds enjoyed his backyard sanctuaries and were supplied with food throughout the spring, summer, fall and winter.

William is survived by his nephews, Zachary Hicks (Kentucky) and Eric Hicks (Idaho); and by his sister, Catherine Cowals Bennett, living in Seattle, with whom he enjoyed daily phone calls to discuss local and world news, environmental issues and politics.

William formed friendships with many in his neighborhood and will be missed for his warm smile, his engaging stories, his kind encouragement and his genuine interest in the lives of others.

Inurnment will be at Acacia Memorial Park in Shoreline.