Obituary

William (Bill) Joseph Pliska, Major USAF, Retired, died September 30, 2021 at his home in La Conner, Washington. Born in Seattle on February 18, 1925, he was adopted at about the age of two years, by Anna Willi (Pliska) Sunski and Joseph Pliska. Bill’s mother later married Victor Sunski, who helped raise Bill to adulthood. Bill graduated early from Broadway High School in 1942 and joined the Army Air Corps. He served as a pilot and navigator, flying B-26 aircraft in Saipan during WWII. Upon returning to Seattle, he met and married Maureen Ginnett, and completed his BA at University of Washington in 1950. He was in the Marine Corps reserves (1946-1948) and rejoined the Air Force, flying C-17’s during the Korean War. Bill and Maureen had 6 children, all traveling with the Air Force throughout the US and Germany. He retired from the Air Force in 1968, settling in Pebble Beach, California, where they remodeled one home and designed and built two showplace homes. Bill completed his MA in Business Management, becoming an adjunct Professor with Golden Gate University in San Francisco, teaching classes in Monterey, California for many years. He loved to golf and spent many fun years being a volunteer golf Marshall at the Crosby Pro-Am/AT&T golf tournaments. In 1987, Bill and Maureen moved to La Conner, Washington, to enjoy their retirement years, with Bill serving as an active board member with the Northwest Regional Council in Bellingham, assisting with legislation and fundraising for senior services throughout Western Washington. They loved to travel regularly, visiting their beloved “haunts” in Hawaii for many years. They are survived by their children, Jamy Wagner, Mark, Steven, Matt, Mitchell and Annemarie Pliska, 7 grandchildren, Cameron & Erinn Wagner, Matthew, Joseph, Mitchell, Lilli & Jewelia Pliska and one greatgrandchild, Sadie Rose Pliska.

Bill’s funeral service will be held at Tahoma National Cemetery in Kent on October 13, 2021 at 10:00 a.m., the service is brief, per military protocol, with a chaplain and military honor guard. We will also be having a remembrance gathering at: The Farmhouse Restaurant 13724 La Conner Whitney Rd. La Conner, WA 98257, October 14, 2021, from 12:30pm-4:00pm. Please come to all or any events, we would love to see you!