William (Bill) Lee Elkins has passed away after battling T-cell prolymphocytic leukemia.

Bill was born and raised in Oakesdale, Washington, where he lived until the age of 33, when he moved with his family to Spokane. While living in Spokane, he worked as a mechanic, displaying a tremendous work ethic — rarely, if ever, missing a day of work. He was incredibly intelligent and often the go-to when others couldn’t find a working solution. When the typical cuss words didn’t meet his needs, he used his creativity to make up new ones.

Bill was a devoted father, expressing his love for his children through practical acts of service, protection, and commitment to their interests. He went out of his way to ensure his kids could participate in the activities they loved — whether that meant weekend-long campouts with the Boy Scouts, passionately “cheering” from the sidelines of sporting events, or late-night and early-morning transportation to debate tournaments. He raised his children to have strong opinions, love their families well, and never sacrifice integrity for business.

Bill had several lifelong passions of his own. His love for music was evident throughout his life. He played bass in bands in his late teens and early 20s. He enjoyed music from all genres, as shown in his massive collection of vinyl, cassettes, and CDs. He instilled this love in his children and even formed a new friendship while in the hospital due to a shared love of prog rock. Bill also loved cars, trains, airplanes, and motorcycles. He studied their mechanics and often surprised people with the depth of knowledge he had built over the years. He raced motocross when he was young and returned to the sport later in life, finally retiring at the age of 62.

After re-marrying in 2008, Bill and his wife, Amy, returned to his hometown of Oakesdale, where they bought and fixed up the home his grandparents owned when he was a kid. Together they built a life of adventure, including motocross and boat races, gathering mementos to display in their home and eventually adopting Bill’s favorite child, his dog Lola. Bill was able to spend his final days in the home he loved, with his wife, dog, and many visitors stopping by to ensure he knew how deeply loved he was.

Bill is survived by his wife, children, several grandchildren, and his dog.

A Celebration of Life will be held Sunday, March 22 at 1 p.m. at the Oakesdale Fire Station.