US AIR FORCE
VETERAN
William Witherup, a Seattle poet, playwright and activist, whose work focused on people who lived downwind of the Hanford nuclear reservation, racism and technology, has died.
In his book of poetry "Down Wind, Down River," Mr. Witherup memorialized downwinders and spoke out against the use of nuclear weapons and technology. He was also a member of the Hiroshima Peace Project, an anti-nuclear organization. Altogether, he was the author of 11 books of poetry and two plays.
Mr. Witherup died June 3 from complications of acute myeloid leukemia while in Seattle's veterans hospital. He believed the illness that ultimately took his life was caused by living downwind of the Hanford Nuclear site.
Mr. Witherup was born March 24, 1935, in Kansas City, Mo., the eldest of four children. The family moved to Richland in 1944 where his father worked as an engineer at the Hanford nuclear facility.
Mr. Witherup served in the Air force from 1957-1959 as a Russian translator
After leaving the Air force, Mr. Witherup moved to San Francisco in 1960, and to Seattle in the '80s. Mr. Witherup began writing poetry about downwinders after his father died in 1983 of colon cancer, which Mr. Witherup suspected, was caused by his father's work in the Hanford site. Mr. Witherup even dedicated his book of poetry "Black Ash, Orange Fire" to his father. William was 74.
VETERAN
William Witherup, a Seattle poet, playwright and activist, whose work focused on people who lived downwind of the Hanford nuclear reservation, racism and technology, has died.
In his book of poetry "Down Wind, Down River," Mr. Witherup memorialized downwinders and spoke out against the use of nuclear weapons and technology. He was also a member of the Hiroshima Peace Project, an anti-nuclear organization. Altogether, he was the author of 11 books of poetry and two plays.
Mr. Witherup died June 3 from complications of acute myeloid leukemia while in Seattle's veterans hospital. He believed the illness that ultimately took his life was caused by living downwind of the Hanford Nuclear site.
Mr. Witherup was born March 24, 1935, in Kansas City, Mo., the eldest of four children. The family moved to Richland in 1944 where his father worked as an engineer at the Hanford nuclear facility.
Mr. Witherup served in the Air force from 1957-1959 as a Russian translator
After leaving the Air force, Mr. Witherup moved to San Francisco in 1960, and to Seattle in the '80s. Mr. Witherup began writing poetry about downwinders after his father died in 1983 of colon cancer, which Mr. Witherup suspected, was caused by his father's work in the Hanford site. Mr. Witherup even dedicated his book of poetry "Black Ash, Orange Fire" to his father. William was 74.
US AIR FORCE
VETERAN
William Witherup, a Seattle poet, playwright and activist, whose work focused on people who lived downwind of the Hanford nuclear reservation, racism and technology, has died.
In his book of poetry "Down Wind, Down River," Mr. Witherup memorialized downwinders and spoke out against the use of nuclear weapons and technology. He was also a member of the Hiroshima Peace Project, an anti-nuclear organization. Altogether, he was the author of 11 books of poetry and two plays.
Mr. Witherup died June 3 from complications of acute myeloid leukemia while in Seattle's veterans hospital. He believed the illness that ultimately took his life was caused by living downwind of the Hanford Nuclear site.
Mr. Witherup was born March 24, 1935, in Kansas City, Mo., the eldest of four children. The family moved to Richland in 1944 where his father worked as an engineer at the Hanford nuclear facility.
Mr. Witherup served in the Air force from 1957-1959 as a Russian translator
After leaving the Air force, Mr. Witherup moved to San Francisco in 1960, and to Seattle in the '80s. Mr. Witherup began writing poetry about downwinders after his father died in 1983 of colon cancer, which Mr. Witherup suspected, was caused by his father's work in the Hanford site. Mr. Witherup even dedicated his book of poetry "Black Ash, Orange Fire" to his father. William was 74.
VETERAN
William Witherup, a Seattle poet, playwright and activist, whose work focused on people who lived downwind of the Hanford nuclear reservation, racism and technology, has died.
In his book of poetry "Down Wind, Down River," Mr. Witherup memorialized downwinders and spoke out against the use of nuclear weapons and technology. He was also a member of the Hiroshima Peace Project, an anti-nuclear organization. Altogether, he was the author of 11 books of poetry and two plays.
Mr. Witherup died June 3 from complications of acute myeloid leukemia while in Seattle's veterans hospital. He believed the illness that ultimately took his life was caused by living downwind of the Hanford Nuclear site.
Mr. Witherup was born March 24, 1935, in Kansas City, Mo., the eldest of four children. The family moved to Richland in 1944 where his father worked as an engineer at the Hanford nuclear facility.
Mr. Witherup served in the Air force from 1957-1959 as a Russian translator
After leaving the Air force, Mr. Witherup moved to San Francisco in 1960, and to Seattle in the '80s. Mr. Witherup began writing poetry about downwinders after his father died in 1983 of colon cancer, which Mr. Witherup suspected, was caused by his father's work in the Hanford site. Mr. Witherup even dedicated his book of poetry "Black Ash, Orange Fire" to his father. William was 74.
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