William Hatzenbeler

William J. (Bill) Hatzenbeler, (73), of Yakima, WA passed away peacefully on June 7, 2016. Bill was born to his loving parents Jack and Wanda Hatzenbeler on June 23, 1942, in Yakima, WA. He was raised in Harrah, WA and graduated from Wapato High School, class of 1961. Bill was a high school athlete excelling in football and track and received a football scholarship to Yakima Valley College. He later transferred to the University of Washington and graduated from the School of Business in 1966. Bill worked in sales for Proctor and Gamble for fourteen years. Following the death of his father in 1979, Bill and his wife Helen moved from Tacoma to Wapato and purchased the family owned A&W Drive-in, later renamed Bill’s Family Restaurant. He owned and operated both the restaurant and Bill’s Buggy Bath next door until his retirement in 2009. After college, he found a new passion for salmon fishing in Puget Sound. He often remarked that his fondest days were “on the salt.” Bill was a lifetime member of the Wapato Lions Club and a member of the Wapato American Legion Club Post 133. His greatest joys were spending time with his family, sons and grandsons, fishing, and the daily lunch with his buddies. Bill was preceded in death by his parents, Jack and Wanda Hatzenbeler. He is survived by his two sons W. Edward Hatzenbeler (Kim) of Enumclaw, WA and David L. Hatzenbeler of Black Diamond, WA. He is also survived by his sister Sandra H. Freeman (Gary) of Banks, OR, and three grandsons, Mitchell L. Hatzenbeler of Seattle, WA, and W. Hunter Hatzenbeler and Jacob E. Hatzenbeler, both from Enumclaw, WA. A celebration of life will be held at the Terrace Heights Grange, 3701 W. Birchfield Road, Yakima, WA on Saturday, June 25, 2016, at 11:00 a.m. In lieu of flowers, please donate to your local food bank. To order memorial trees or send flowers to the family in memory of William Hatzenbeler, please visit our flower store.