William P. ‘Bill’ Elfendahl

William P. “Bill” Elfendahl, 89, Boeing engineer, one of REI’s founders, mountaineer, skier, sailor and scout leader, died June 7 in Seattle following a stroke.

Born Nov. 30, 1914 in Alameda, Calif., to Gertrude Baxter, a Christian Science practitioner and Preston H. Elfendahl, a forester, he graduated from Garfield High School in 1931 and earned an engineering degree at the University of Washington in 1936.

He was employed by Boeing from 1936-1979, first as a draftsman in “The Red Barn.” He helped design the hydrodynamics of the Boeing Clipper seaplane, which was hauled out and weighed at the Winslow Marine Railway, and set up the B-17 production line in World War II. He was on the Stratocruiser’s maiden flight; directed flight test instrumentation and research labs; helped design the 707 and 747; and was Supervisors’ Club president.

Active with The Mountaineers, he led climbs, built lodges, shared family camping and served on the Mountain Rescue Council. He taught climbing at Olympic College and on Green Mountain.

An editor of Alpine Club’s “Climber’s Guide to the Cascade and Olympic Mountains of Washington,” he yodeled from many Northwest summits and on the first ascent of the west peak of Mount Johannesberg in the North Cascades in 1949.

Before chair lifts and rope tows, he skied remote valleys. One by Mount Rainier became Crystal Mountain Resort. He helped design its trails and skied there with his family until age 85; he carried REI card No. 16!

He received the Boy Scout’s Silver Beaver Award for service to youth and sponsored the first minority members in The Mountaineers and Seattle’s Corinthian Yacht Club, where he was commodore in 1968.

When mountains steepened, he took to sailing. He was a student mentor, hospital volunteer, Lake Burien Presbyterian Church Elder, Shriner, and Elk’s Club member. At Kent’s Pediatric Interim Care Center, he comforted drug-addicted babies.

He was preceded in death by Florence, his first wife of 34 years; his brother, Major; and grandson, Charles, Bainbridge High School Class of 1980.

He is survived by Sarah, his wife of 25 years; two sons, Gerald W. (Judie), Bainbridge Is. and Lawrence E. (Mary Ann), Kingston; stepson Dick Christianson (Mary), San Diego; stepdaughter, Chris (Mike) Moss, Anderson Is; seven grandchildren including Erika (BHS ‘84) (Phil, BHS ‘84) Biggs, Bainbridge Island, and Kirsten (BHS ‘86) (Edan) Zeballoon of Shoreline; and eight great-grandchildren. Remembrance: KPICC, NW Kidney Centers or a charity of the donor’s choice.