Earl Bill William Wennberg, 83, passed away peacefully June 23rd, 2007. He was surrounded by his family in his home at Kennewick, Washington. Bill was born in Clearbrook, Minnesota on February 16, 1924 to Olaf Ole and Esther Wennberg. Bill loved growing up in his beloved Clearbrook where he was surrounded by his immediate family, aunts, uncles and many cousins. During WWII he served with the 195th AAA 2nd Armed Division was a member of Hell on Wheels. He participated in the Battle of the Bulge and combat in Europe. As many from the Greatest Generation, he was not one to reminisce about his military experiences. In 2005 he received the Jubilee Liberty Medals to recognize his roll, 60 years previous, as part of the Allied forces at Normandy during D-Day and true to his humble nature commented upon receiving the award. ?I hope I am worthy?. After the war he worked in Burns, Oregon along with his best friend, Cliff Nyleen. He attended Concordia College in Moorhead, Minnesota earning a Bachelor of Arts in Education. He also attended University of North Dakota to work on his Masters. In 1950 he married his true love, Arlis Erlene Oak to whom he was married devotedly for 56 years. Together they had four children: Paul Jackie Wennberg of Redmond, WA; Dawn Edward Large? of Hermiston, Or.; Timothy Wennberg Andrew McCullough of Seattle, WA; and Carrie Christopher Bryant of Piney Grove, N.C., and ten wonderful grandchildren of whom he was so proud: John, Eric, Melissa, Matthew, Kristopher, David, Grayson, and Matheson. He is also survived by his sisters Norma Wildmo, Bemiji, MN., and Verone Ken Lane of Hebo, OR., and many nieces, nephews, and cousins. Bill taught in a few small towns around Minnesota before returning to teach in his hometown at Clearbrook High School teaching Social Studies/History; Bookkeeping and Speech. In 1956 the family moved to Seattle, Washington where he worked for the Boeing Company for 16 years in Procurement Management. In 1972 he moved the family to Tri-cities, Washington to work for Westinghouse/Rockwell Hanford in Contract Administration, retiring in 1980 due to disability suffered from a stroke. Despite his disabilities, Bill golfed with his treasured friend Cheech, worked in the yard, tracked sport scores-even winning the Tri-City Herald Weekly Professional Football Contest and a trip to the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, California in 1991. Family and friends were very important to Bill and so he and Arlis traveled around the country to keep in contact: North Carolina, Texas, Colorado, Montana and California to name a few places, with many trips back and forth to Seattle, but visiting his hometown of Clearbrook was Bills favorite and all time joy!. He will not be defined by only what he was ?doing? but by what he was busy ?being?: being thankful; being considerate, being sincere, being a devoted husband; being a wonderful Dad being a loving grandfather and being a true friend. He lived his life as he did in his passing, with honor and dignity. He instilled these values in his family as well as love for life and each other. He will be sorely missed, but always remembered. Bill was preceded in death by his parents; OlafOle and Esther Wennberg, brother Winton and sister Eunice. Bill was a member of Lord of Life Lutheran Church for 25 Years. Visitation will be held on Tuesday, June 26, 2007, 5-8pm, at Mueller?s Tri-Cities Funeral Home, 1401 S. Union, Kennewick, WA. A Graveside Service will be on Wednesday, June 27, 2007, 10am, at Desert Lawn Memorial Park, 10th & Union, Kennewick, WA with a Memorial Service to follow, 11:30am, at Lord of Life Lutheran Church, 640 N. Columbia Center Blvd, Kennewick, WA. The family requests any memorials be sent to Lord of Life Lutheran Church, or Tri-Cities Chaplaincy Hospice, 2108 W. Entiat, Kennewick, WA 99336. A special thank you to the KGH Home Health Care and Hospice personnel for supporting the family during this time.