Bainbridge Island resident, William R. Pickens, 90, died at his home Sept. 30.

Also known as “Slim,” he was born May 21, 1913, in Montesano, Wash., to Roy and Gertrude Crabbs Pickens. His early years were spent in Baker City, Ore.

He studied design at Cornish College of the Arts in Seattle and then studied at the University of Washington School of Architecture.

He joined the Seattle firm of Narramore Bain Brady and Johanson Architects — now known as NBBJ — where he became the director of medical projects and health facilities planning.

Later, he returned to Seattle to join John Graham Company Architects, Engineers and Planners, as director of the programming and planning responsible for hospitals, schools and penal institutions.

During his years in health care design and planning, he was an active participant in many new facilities as well as additions and remodels.

While at NBBJ, he worked on Providence Hospital, Virginia Mason Hospital, the Mason Clinic, Swedish Hospital, the University of Washington Teaching Hospital, Harborview, and Seattle General Hospital.

His projects during his tenure with John Graham Company included the design and planning of the Bannock Memorial Medical Center (Pocatello, Ida.), as well as the Bremerton Naval Hospital and the Madigan Army Medical Center at Fort Lewis, both of which received the Department of Defense Award for Excellence in Architecture.

He was active in the Washington State Hospital Association and the Association of Western Hospitals. He wrote many articles on hospital design for national publications, and participated in panels for both the University of Washington and the University of California.

In his retirement, he returned to the island that he loved, where he re-acquainted himself with many of the greatest pleasures of his life, such as attending ceramics classes in Eagledale, painting watercolors, illustrating and writing children’s books and sharing time with family and friends.

He is survived by his wife of 17 years, Gretchen; stepson Steven and his wife Anne Lowe and their children McKenna and Teegan, of Monroe; and stepson Douglas and his wife, Molly Lowe and their children, Austin and Allison, of Tracy, Calif.

A gathering of friends and family will be held at 2 p.m. Oct. 10 at Grace Episcopal Church.

In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to Group Health Cooperative Foundation (designated fund for Hospice) or the Bainbridge Island Firefighters’ Association.

Arrangements are under the direction of the Kass Funeral Home.