William "Bill" Anthony Drapeau, 81, passed away peacefully at home in Salem of Alzheimer's disease. Bill was born in Portland to John and Margaret (Dwyer) Drapeau, the fifth of six children. He graduated from Central Catholic High School in 1947. During and after high school, he worked in the timber industry for his grandfather, Anthony Dwyer, as well as for the U.S. Forest Service in Washington. Bill started college at Vanport Extension Center (now Portland State University), and served in the U.S. Army from 1954 to 1956. He was stationed in France most of that time. After the service, he returned to Portland and graduated from PSU in 1957. Bill went to work for IBM in 1957, and worked there for 30 years. In 1967, he married Betty Ryan; she preceded him in death in 1972. In 1982, he married Joann Elam. They moved to Salem in 1990, where Bill worked for the Oregon Department of Revenue for 10 years before retiring in 2000. Bill loved the outdoors and hiking. He reached the summit of Mount Hood in the late 1970s with his nephew, Kevin. He liked sports, especially baseball and hockey-Bill was a big fan of the Portland Buckaroos Hockey team. He helped coach a women's softball team while working at IBM. He also loved country music; Buck Owens was one of his favorites. Bill is survived by his wife, Joann; sons, Randy and Sean; daughters, Debbie Lamadrid and Leslie Cook; and granddaughters, Amanda Cook (11) and Sydney Cook (9); sister, Patricia Sharrar of Mount Angel; and many nieces, nephews and friends. A funeral Mass was held Jan. 12, 2011, in St. Joseph Catholic Church, Salem. Interment is in Mount Calvary Catholic Cemetery, Portland. Remembrances may be made to Central Catholic High School in Bill's name.
Published in The Oregonian on January 23, 2011
Published in The Oregonian on January 23, 2011
William "Bill" Anthony Drapeau, 81, passed away peacefully at home in Salem of Alzheimer's disease. Bill was born in Portland to John and Margaret (Dwyer) Drapeau, the fifth of six children. He graduated from Central Catholic High School in 1947. During and after high school, he worked in the timber industry for his grandfather, Anthony Dwyer, as well as for the U.S. Forest Service in Washington. Bill started college at Vanport Extension Center (now Portland State University), and served in the U.S. Army from 1954 to 1956. He was stationed in France most of that time. After the service, he returned to Portland and graduated from PSU in 1957. Bill went to work for IBM in 1957, and worked there for 30 years. In 1967, he married Betty Ryan; she preceded him in death in 1972. In 1982, he married Joann Elam. They moved to Salem in 1990, where Bill worked for the Oregon Department of Revenue for 10 years before retiring in 2000. Bill loved the outdoors and hiking. He reached the summit of Mount Hood in the late 1970s with his nephew, Kevin. He liked sports, especially baseball and hockey-Bill was a big fan of the Portland Buckaroos Hockey team. He helped coach a women's softball team while working at IBM. He also loved country music; Buck Owens was one of his favorites. Bill is survived by his wife, Joann; sons, Randy and Sean; daughters, Debbie Lamadrid and Leslie Cook; and granddaughters, Amanda Cook (11) and Sydney Cook (9); sister, Patricia Sharrar of Mount Angel; and many nieces, nephews and friends. A funeral Mass was held Jan. 12, 2011, in St. Joseph Catholic Church, Salem. Interment is in Mount Calvary Catholic Cemetery, Portland. Remembrances may be made to Central Catholic High School in Bill's name.
Published in The Oregonian on January 23, 2011
Published in The Oregonian on January 23, 2011
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