Guy William "Bill" Powers of Kennewick passed away in his vineyard home on September 23, 2014. He was 88 years old. Bill leaves behind many to remember him, including his son Greg, and his wife JoAnn, grandchildren Trevor, Colton and Alexis of Kennewick, his daughter Elizabeth and her husband Brian Cito, grandchildren Devon, David, and Derek of Seattle, wife Barbara and step-children Debbie, Monte and Scott Henderson, his sister Shirley Lucas, nephews Lee Morris, Guy, Tuk and Ed Powers and niece Nancy Williams. Bill is preceded in death by his parents Guy and Irene Powers, sister Phoebe Alice and brother George Thomas Powers. Born on September 3, 1926 in Weatherford, Oklahoma the oldest of four siblings, Bill Powers moved to Washington in 1956 and began an apple orchard in Othello, WA. He married Vivian Overton in 1962. In 1970 and again in 1973 was named Conservation Farmer of the Year. In 1975, Bill began the Washington State Beefalo program. During this time, he also owned several successful race horses. Never afraid of new challenges, Bill Powers cashed it all in in 1981, moved his family to Kennewick and began growing wine grapes. In 1982, he established Badger Mountain Vineyard. His wife Vivian passed away in 1984. After much perseverance, Bill made Badger Mountain the first certified organic vineyard in Washington State in 1990. In the same year, Powers Winery was born. Bill married his second wife Barbara Axtell in 1996, and they enjoyed numerous winters in Yuma, AZ together. In 2007 Bill Powers received the Washington Association of Wine Grape Growers Lifetime Achievement Award. In 2010, he further solidified his place in Washington's agricultural history when he was inducted into the Walter Clore Legends of Washington Wine Hall of Fame as the wine industry's organic farming pioneer. Bill had a way with living, growing things. He was a man of the soil, yet he was a thinking-man's farmer, an innovator, always looking forward, continually striving to do it better. Drawing on the wisdom gained over years of hard work, but unafraid to try new ideas and take calculated risks, Bill taught us the value of hard work and positive thinking. His was the generation that did business with handshakes and kept promises, and his integrity is very much a part of his legacy. He will be sorely missed by those that knew him, and remembered for his pioneering spirit for generations to come. Memorial services will be held October 4th, 2014 at 1:00 PM at Badger Mountain Vineyards in Kennewick. It is asked that in lieu of flowers or gifts that a donation be made to the following: Washington Wine Industry Foundation Attn: Bill Powers Fund PO Box 716 Cashmere, WA 98815