Bill Eppick passed away with family nearby at home in Port Townsend, Washington.
He was born in Reedley, California to Joseph and Evelyn (Adden) Eppick. He grew up in Milwaukee, Oregon, graduating from Milwaukee High School in 1953. Bill enlisted in the Army, serving three years, two of which as a Teletype Interceptor stationed in Kyoto Japan.
In 1957 he married Beverly Phelps. They had two daughters and a son, Mrs. Leslie E. Carter, Kathleen E. Eppick, and Glen R. Eppick.
Bill graduated in 1961 from Oregon State University with a BS in Business. His college years included Electrical Engineering studies. Following school, he worked 25 years for the Oregon-based company Tektronics and retired in 1986. But not seriously.
Before his retirement, Bill had begun building a 32-foot wood sailboat designed by Lyle Hess. In 1984 he married Elaine Wachter. After eight years of boat construction, Bill and Elaine launched SKYE in Port Townsend so she could take up saltwater first. Bill was a true sailor. The challenge for him was to sail the inland waters without inboard power. The only motor aboard was a 2 hp putt-putt for the dingy.
Upon moving to Port Townsend, Bill was invited to work as a shipwright for a new start-up boat repair business. This made it possible to do what he loved — work with wood boats during winter and cruise SKYE in spring and fall. Bill and Elaine sailed and lived aboard for nine years, along with building their land home and their SKYE Boat Works business. He was 75 when his final boat restoration left their shop and his second retirement was launched. However, if you knew Bill, in the years up to age 86, he didn’t sit around much.
