William 'Bill' B. Firebaugh

William “Bill” B. Firebaugh, 84, longtime Moses Lake, resident passed away at his home, after a brief illness, Sunday, July 26, 2009.

Graveside funeral services with military honors will be held at 10 a.m. (Mountain Time) Saturday, August 1, 2009, at Salmon Cemetery in Salmon, Idaho.

Arrangements are in care of Kayser’s Chapel & Crematory, Moses Lake. You may sign the guest book or leave a note for the family at www.kayserschapel.com.

Bill was born October 9, 1924, to the late John Peter and Dorothy (Caster) Firebaugh in Rock River, Wyoming. At a young age he moved with his family to Shoshone, Idaho, and in 1937 moved to Salmon, Idaho.

He joined the United States Air Force and served his country during World War II as an airplane re-fueler. After his honorable discharge he married LaDonna R. Clark in Missoula, Montana, on July 7, 1948. They made their home in Salmon, Idaho, for a short time before moving to Kellogg, Idaho, where he began his mining career which took the family to Nevada, Oregon, New Mexico, Wyoming and Montana.

They moved to Moses Lake in 1966 and began farming in block 40 and eventually Hiawatha Valley until retiring in 1989. Bill loved gold mining, fishing and spending time with his grandchildren. He took being a grandpa very seriously. He could be found totally enjoying himself at his grandkids’ soccer games, baseball games, swim meets and fishing trips, where the only thing they caught was a lot of fun! For the past several years, you could also find Bill taking his daily 5 mile morning walk from his home to Burger King or McDonalds for breakfast.

He is survived by his sweet wife of 61 years, LaDonna of Moses Lake; a son, David Firebaugh of Moses Lake; a daughter and son-in-law, Patricia and Larry Butterfield of Moses Lake; three grandchildren, Mark Butterfield and his wife Liz of Rexburg, Idaho, Stephanie Wagner and her husband Justin of Spokane, Washington, and Elder Eric Butterfield, currently serving a full-time mission for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Angeles, Philippines; two great-grandsons, Hunter and William Butterfield and four nephews. Besides his parents he was preceded in death by his sister, Margaret Stricklan.