Funeral services for William H. “Bill” Huffstetler were held Saturday, Dec. 21, 2002, at Coupeville United Methodist Church with the Rev. Mary Boyd officiating. Private family interment followed at Sunnyside Cemetery.

Bill Huffstetler, 76, died Dec. 19, 2002, at Home Place Special Care Unit, Oak Harbor. His wife Lillian, daughter Willie and the loving staff had been with him.

Bill Huffstetler was born Dec. 26, 1925, in Tuckaseege, in the Piedmont area near Charlotte, N.C., to Walter Henry and Maude (Lutz) Huffstetler. He attended school in Belmont until 1943, when he joined the U.S. Navy. He went through boot camp in Bainbridge, Md., and was on to San Diego, Bremerton and finally, NAS Whidbey Island. While at Whidbey, he met his future wife, Lillian Dean.

Bill was sent back to Bremerton and assigned to the USS West Virginia, BB48. The “Wee Vee” was one of the ships sunk in Pearl Harbor Dec. 7, 1941. The ship had been raised and was being completely renovated at Puget Sound ShipYard. It was to return to the Pacific to fight the war with Japan. Bill was married to Lillian Dean in Mount Vernon Nov. 27, 1943. They made their first home in Port Orchard.

In the summer of 1944, the West Virginia was sent to Long Beach, Calif., for its shakedown cruise and in September it returned to the South Pacific. Bill was a gunner’s mate with a duty station up in the superstructure, so he saw plenty of action at Iwo Jima, Okinawa and the Philippines. His ship was hit by kamikaze planes, one so close that fragments hit Bill’s gun tub, killing one of the gunners. The West Virginia was in Japan for the surrender. His daughter Willeta “Willie” Huffstetler was born Jan. 24, 1945, while her father was fighting in the Pacific.

Bill was doing a kiddie cruise when the war ended, so he had another year to finish his enlistment. He was sent back to Japan on the LST 553.

Bill returned to Washington state in 1948 and worked for a time as a painter and also as a member of Island County Road Department. In 1949, the Huffstetlers shared a home in Prairie Center with the Bonnell family. On January 18 of that year, the house burned to the ground. Both families escaped injury, but lost everything. The citizens of Coupeville rallied, providing clothing, food, household items, furniture and money. What wonderful generosity!

In 1950, Bill joined the U.S. Army. His three year enlistment was spent at Fort Ord, Calif., for more basic training, then on to Fort Bliss, Texas, for the summer and finally to Fort Richardson, Alaska, for the winter. He was assigned to the 867th Bn as a supply sergeant. The members of his brigade had to build their own buildings and gun sites around Elmendorf Air Force Base. He returned to Coupeville in August 1951, picked up his family and drove the original Al-Can Highway to Fort Richardson. The family remained there until spring of 1953.

Bill Huffstetler was involved in the rescue of a downed jet fighter at Elmendorf. The plane had failed to become airborne and skidded into a snow bank. The canopy was jammed and the afterburners were ignited. Bill climbed onto the jet and extricated the pilot. He was awarded the Commendation Ribbon and a parade was held in his honor.

Bill returned to Coupeville and was employed at NAS Whidbey as a painter and later in the contracts office (ROICC) inspecting the building of hangers and other buildings, renovation of the Officers Club and NAS Hospital. He also supervised construction of the waterline under Deception Pass Bridge to NAS Whidbey. Later he worked at NAS Sand Point in Seattle, at Bremerton and as an inspector for the Reserve Facilities in Washington, Idaho, Montana and Utah. In 1976, he spent a year on Diego Garcia in the Indian Ocean, following a stint at China Lake, Calif.

Bill retired from civil service in 1984 after 38 years of combined military and civilian service. He worked several jobs for South Whidbey Associates, RDA Associates, the town of Coupeville and the city of Oak Harbor following his retirement. He liked hunting, fishing and trips to Reno and the Indian casinos. He also enjoyed his parrot Billy.

Bill Huffstetler is survived by his wife Lillian, at the family home, Coupeville; by his daughter Willeta “Willie” Kerschner of Virginia City, Nev.; by one brother, G.G. “Skip” (Betty) Huffstetler of Charlotte, N.C.; and two sisters, Evelyn Horn (Sam) and Eloise McDonald, all of Belmont, N.C. Many nieces, nephews and cousins also survive.

Memorials may be made to Coupeville United Methodist Church or your favorite charity. Funeral arrangements are under the direction of Burley Funeral Chapel. This obituary may be seen on-line at http://burley.plan4ever.com .