Obituaries for July 19, 2010

William L. Binford Jr., 52, of Halfway, died July 12, 2010, at Halfway.

A private family gathering will be held at a later date. 

William “Billy” was born on Feb. 28, 1958, to William and Martha (Butler) Binford) He was fluent in several languages and as a youth lived in Ecuador and Guatemala, where his father was employed. He graduated from high school in Portland. Bill was very intelligent and was always extremely organized.  He enjoyed reading and was a collector of books.

Bill was retired from the U.S. Army after 20 years of service as a military police and as a recruiter. He served in various locations in the United States and overseas in Germany and Italy. He made his home for a time in Alabama, where he was an avid gardener. He loved everything related to football, adored his cats, and was known among his friends as the “go-to” guy whenever there was a need he could help with.

He is survived by his father, William L. Binford, Sr. and his wife Diana of Halfway; his mother, Martha Binford of Washington, D.C.; grandmother, Dorothy Binford of Baker City; a brother, Richard Binford of Aloha; a sister, Katherine Ley and her husband, Tim, of Tigard; a sister, Michelle Binford of Guatemala; a stepbrother, Billy and his wife, Isabel, of Puyallup, Wash.; an uncle, John Binford and his wife, Mari Jo, of Halfway; an uncle, Lindley Binford and his wife, Maria, of Las Vegas; and nieces, nephews and numerous cousins.   

He was preceded in death by his grandfather, Lindley Charles, who died in 1987, and his wife, Bonny, who died in 2004.

For those who would like to make a donation in memory of Bill, the family suggests the Pine-Eagle Clinic or the Halfway Library; these can be made through Tami's Pine Valley Funeral Home P.O. Box 543 Halfway, OR 97834.