William Lamar Edwards III (Willie Man) 49 year old and born in Albuquerque New Mexico, October 23, 1961 to Barbara Copeland and William Edwards Jr.. Willie was a fisherman at heart who spent over twenty years as a commercial fisherman in Alaska. He fished for crab in the Bering Sea and for Salmon in Bristol Bay Alaska. He spent most of his time on the fishing vessel “The Stormy Sea” out of King Cove, Alaska. During his time in Alaska, he was involved with the rescue of three fellow fishermen that had to abandon their vessel in the freezing waters off Cape Cheerful. For their actions the United States Coast Guard awarded the captain and crew the “Distinguished Public Service Award” for their selfless actions that surely saved the three men.

Willie grew up in Albuquerque, New Mexico with his two sisters, Barbara and Carol for his first 18 years. He then moved to Seattle, WA for 23 years while he fished the Alaskan waters. During his first marriage to Donna, his son William (Buck) was born in 1978. Willie’s second marriage was to Allissa and they had a son, Vincent in 1991. Willie moved his family to Boise, Idaho in 2003 where he started and operated a successful painting business.

Willie had many hobbies and passions that made him so unique and special to so many people. Willie loved riding his bike and being outdoors.  He spent much of his free time cutting lumber in the northwest woods for friends, family and sometimes profit. No matter what the day job might be, he had his chain saw ready. Willie loved scoping out wood, dropping trees and splitting it into fire wood. He was a very hard working man. He was always busy and put his full effort and energy into everything he did. Willie also did major landscaping projects at all of his homes and he really enjoyed gardening and working in the yard. He transformed many homes surrounded with literally; bare hard ground into green lush yards, edged with plants, flowers, rocks, fences and trees.

                                                                He also loved sports…..watching them, reading about them, listening to them, playing all of them. He was so proud of his sons and the bond they all had surrounding sports. He would go to all of Vincent’s and Buck’s sporting events. Will, was mostly involved in baseball and Vince in soccer. Willie loved spending time with his boys and their dog Alex hiking the Cascade Mountains and the beaches of Puget Sound.   They attended Sonic Basketball, Seahawk Football and Mariners Baseball together. They would ski and snowboard together, play poker, blackjack, cribbage, video and board games together.   All of his character, strengths and attributes are engrained and can be seen in his two wonderful sons and will live in them forever! 

Willie made a major impact if you met him. He was full of adventure and believed in living life to the fullest.   Willie touched many people that consider him friend, brother, uncle or son.  We will miss Willie, but find comfort in the small part of him that lives in all of us.