William John "Bill" Schenk

William John “Bill” Schenk, age 84, of Grants Pass, died Tuesday, December 10, 2013 at his home.

A viewing will be from 2:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m., Sunday, December 15, 2013 at Hull & Hull Funeral Directors.

A funeral service will begin at 10:30 a.m., Monday, December 16, 2013 at Grants Pass Seventh-Day Adventist Church with Pastor Christian Martin officiating. Interment will follow at 2:00 p.m. at Eagle Point National Cemetery. Hull & Hull Funeral Directors are in charge of arrangements.

Memorial donations may be made to Veterans of Foreign War Post 2302, PO Box 686, Grants Pass, Oregon 97528.

William was born January 7, 1929 in Wichita Falls, Texas. He was raised in Scotland, Texas and attended schools there. After high school he enlisted in the United States Navy and served from September 4, 1946 until July 5, 1968 when he was honorably discharged. William served during World War II, Korean and Vietnam where he was an E-8 Chief Engineman on a Nuclear Submarine. On April 20, 1949 in Yuma, Arizona he married Selma Merry Gill. In 1964 he moved from Hawaii to Grants Pass and was a Navy recruiter from 1964 to 1967. He also worked at the City of Grants Pass Water Treatment Plant as a Supervisor from 1968 to 1979, then after moving to McMinnville, Oregon he worked as a supervisor for the McMinnville Water Treatment Plant from 1979 to 1992, before returning to Grants Pass.

William was a life member of Veterans of Foreign Wars, Fleet Reserve Association, United States Submarine Veterans, Disabled American Veterans, American Legion, Vietnam Veterans of America, Korean War Veterans Association, Inc., and an Associate member of WWII Submarine Veterans. He was also a member of the Seventh-Day Adventist Church, Dorcas, Lions Club and the Grants Pass Kiwanis Club.

His hobbies included fishing, exercising, walking, and community service.

Survivors include his wife, Selma Schenk of Grants Pass, Oregon; a daughter, Madline Corwin of Lake Tapps, Washington; two sons, Mike Schenk and Larry Schenk both of Grants Pass, Oregon; sisters, Pauline Hoff of Windthorst, Texas, Shirley Anderle of Gainesville, Texas and Kate Syrus of Windthorst, Texas; brothers, Paul Schenk of Windthorst, Texas, Laverne Schenk of Amarillo, Texas, Frank Schenk and Grady Schenk both of Scotland, Texas; six grandchildren and one great-granddaughter.