William Arthur Drewer

Bill Drewer

William Arthur Drewer was born In Burlington, IA on April 2nd, 1934 to Francis and Alice Drewer. He passed away on Sunday, August 12th, 2018 at Northwest Hospital in Seattle Washington.  In between those dates, his life was filled with love, hard work, wonderful laughter, six children and numerous grand and great grandchildren. Services were held on Thursday, August 16 at Rock of Hope Baptist Church in Edmonds.

As a young man Bill sensed a call to ministry. At 19, he moved from Iowa to Seattle Pacific College and while there he met, fell in love with an married Laura Iona DuBell. Soon after graduation they moved to Colorado where Bill attended Denver Seminary. They stayed in Colorado to pastor a church in Esperance and First Baptist church in Elisabeth. While in Colorado the family grew with the addition of four children. The next stop was a church in Belle Plain, IA where two more children were added to the family.

After Bill stepped out of formal ministry, he and Laura continued to spread the love of Jesus while Bill supported the family as a house painter, a truck driver, a foreman at Amana refrigeration, a janitor, and an estate manager, amongst other things. Or, in the words of Frank Sinatra, he had been “A puppet, a pauper, a prince and a poet.” He was hard working and high principled. To put it in the most simple phraseology, Bill loved God and he loved people. Whether they be friends, family, strangers or angels, when leaving his presence you either knew that you were loved or knew Jesus better, which ultimately is the same thing

In 1983, the family moved to Seattle, Washington, where they attended First Free Methodist Church, and later Esperance Baptist Church in Edmonds. After the youngest moved out, Bill and Laura embarked on their empty nest adventure and moved near Shelton, Washington.  There, they made many friends over the next 26 years. Church continued to be the center of their life as they attended First Baptist Church in Shelton.  Next, they moved into the SHAG housing in north Seattle and were soon reunited with their friends at Esperance Baptist (Rock of Hope Baptist).

Bill is survived by his loving wife Laura, his six children: Cassandra (Jim) Buck, John (Ruth) Drewer, Daniel Drewer, Laurie (Mike) Starbird, Monica Drewer-Tabachi (Chris), Paul (Melinda) Drewer along with many grand and great grandchildren.