William Shaffer Roberts

William Shaffer Roberts (Bill), 83, of Mercer Island, Wash., passed away peacefully Friday, July 26, at Pacific Regent in Bellevue. Bill was born Feb.1, 1930, in Portland, Ore. to James D. Roberts and Wilma Shaffer Roberts.

Bill’s grandfather and grandmother (Willam B. Shaffer and Ida Mae Shaf- fer) were early settlers of Waitsburg, where his grand- father was the president of the Preston-Shaffer Milling, Co. Bill attended Hillside elementary and Lincoln High School in Portland. He then went on to attend Dartmouth College, Connecticut Wesleyan and Washington State College (now WSU) where he graduated in 1954 with a degree in Business Administration.

While at WSU, he met Charlene Luckey on a sum- mer study tour in Europe. They married in 1954 and have since resided on Mer- cer Island. He is survived by his wife, Charlene Luckey Roberts and his two children Charles W. Roberts (Chuck) - wife Salina and grandsons Quentin and Tyrus living in the Los Angeles area and Susan Roberts McMaster - husband Ron and grandsons Sean and Alec living in West Seattle.

He started his banking career in 1954 at National Bank of Commerce and stayed through its various successor banks. Bill graduated from the West Coast School of Banking and was a member of the Master Ap- praisal Institute. He retired in 1986.

Bill’s interests since re- tirement were investments, stamp collecting, genealogy, bridge and world travel. He owned and managed wheat farms around the Waitsburg/ Walla Walla area. For nearly fifty years, Bill’s family has enjoyed a summer getaway on Hood Canal near the floating bridge. They also spent time at their condo at the La Quinta Resort & Spa in the Palm Desert area.

Bill loved his family and was a kind and generous father, husband and friend to many people.

He was a generous patron of the Seattle Symphony, the Rainier Club, the Mercer Island Presbyterian Church and the Overlake School in Redmond where his children attended. He was a 50-year member of the Washington Athletic Club and lifetime member of the Columbia Tower Club.

In lieu of flowers, dona- tions can be made to either the Waitsburg Historical So- ciety, Evergreen Hospice in Kirkland, the Rainier Club Heritage Fund or a charity of your choice.