William A. "Bill" Wolfe

Bill Wolfe liked to say, "And then I got to go to heaven before I died." That's because in 2021 he and his wife Kathy became caretakers at the Dahl homestead in the Metolius River Canyon north of Camp Sherman, surrounded by the National Forest right where Abbott Creek comes through on its way to the Metolius. Bill passed away in his sleep at the homestead on the morning of July 20, 2024, from heart disease.

Bill Wolfe

He was born William Alton Wolfe, the first child of William and Charlotte Wolfe, on March 11, 1952, at Niagara Falls, N.Y. When he was just seven years old, his father was killed by a crane while working on construction of the Niagara Falls Power Plant. Soon, his mother remarried and they relocated to Inglewood, California, just in time to be part of the Southern California aerospace boom. His stepfather worked for Delta Airlines, his mother for Northrop.

Even before he was out of school, Bill began working a long list of different jobs he would eventually hold, including mannequins manager for the big Zody's Department Stores in L.A. and later driving truck for Air Cargo out of LAX.

He graduated from Morningside High School in Inglewood in 1970 where he was on the swim team. One day, he and best friend were cruising past the rival high school in town when they saw a willowy brunette walking with friends to Winchell's on her lunch break. He told his brother, "Turn around. That's the one."

She was Kathryn "Kathy" Davidson. He was 18, she was 16. For their first date, he came to hear her sing in the school choir. She also worked (part-time at JCPenny), so they had the wherewithal to take full advantage of the never-anything-like-it-before SoCal music scene, with shows at The Hollywood Bowl and the Fabulous Forum in L.A. featuring bands like the Eagles, Jan & Dean, the Beach Boys, and Crosby, Stills & Nash. Some were still local acts. By 1973, they were having so much fun they decided to make it a permanent deal and exchanged vows on October 20 that year in the Inglewood Presbyterian Church.

In time, demonic rock 'n roll had worked its effect on them, so by 1975 they were into bona fide hippiedom when they hit the road to Bly Mountain in Southern Oregon for 10 acres and a small business that Bill had seen for sale in a tiny ad in the paper that he carried around in his wallet for over a year before calling about it.

From 1975-1978 they managed the motel, gas station, and grocery at Bly, 40 miles from Klamath Falls, serving a dispersed population of people living mostly off the grid. The place was called "Bill's" when they bought it because that was the former operator's name and it still worked. But after a year of seeing how much she was expected to contribute to the operation, Kathy had the sign changed to "Bill and Kathy's." They put a lot of themselves into that place and left there as respected business people.

As the timber ran out, business slowed and the hippie in them still beckoned. So, Bill bought a used Pace Arrow Motor Home and they set out on a five-month sojourn across the U.S. and back, living the entire time out of the RV - Van Life before it was a thing.

After nearly 7,000 miles, they wound up in Sisters and this time both agreed: "This is the one." Bill sold the Pace Arrow for more than he paid for it, which he always thought was one of his life's small personal victories as his wife had not thought it a good investment in the beginning.

They began to live off the grid themselves on 40 acres off of Wilt Road (the unpaved part) northeast of town; for five years it was no power, no phone and the only water that which was carried home daily from City Hall. Long drives to school and work for both Bill and Kathy. But the challenges made their little family stronger, something Bill valued above all else. Their daughter, Brook, was born in 1975 in L.A., son Justin in Redmond, in 1980. In 1978, they moved to Sisters where they resided for more than 40 years.

In 1978, Bill hired on with the ground maintenance crew at Black Butte Ranch where he mastered the ins and outs of large irrigation systems. From 1989-2009, he ran his own business - "Rain Dance Irrigation" - where his reputation as a capable water master was confirmed over years of overseeing water systems for properties like Sage Meadows in Indian Ford and Ranch of the Canyons at Redmond.

Meanwhile, he distinguished himself as a pitcher on more than one Sisters business softball team and prided himself on being able to swim long distances at Three Creeks Lake where he enjoyed camping out so much that the family lived most of their summers there for years where he had a reputation as a congenial host for the entire campground. He was known as a shirt-off-his-back kind of guy, and a jokester who insisted on showing up at "women-only" events, like baby showers.

While being water master takes brains, it also takes a toll on the body as you never get away from the digging. When Bill's back became so bad he couldn't do it anymore, Kathy bought him a tricycle that he enjoyed riding around town, visiting with people at different businesses like the Sisters Market and pretty much any place else where they served beer. Everybody liked him.

His survivors include his wife of 51 years, Kathy; their daughter, Brook Wolfe (Daryl) of Redmond and son, Justin Wolfe, of Sisters; grandkids Hunter (Cherish), Levi (Kiki), Ava, Alexis, and Mikey. Two siblings - Gary (Robin) of Chattanooga, TN, and Debbie (Ron) of Bellingham, WA. He is also survived by his mother, Charlotte, 92, of Chattanooga. His stepfather, Gary Kelley, died in 2014.

He also leaves behind Ghost, a wolf-sized dog who found his own way to their house in the woods a few years ago and became Bill's great, late-life love. Ghost wouldn't come inside at first. Later, Bill cried when he disappeared for most of a day, thinking maybe Ghost had decided to move on. But, he just turned out to be asleep ... upstairs ... on their bed.

The family plans a private ceremony to distribute Bill's ashes in the National Forest - his heaven on Earth. He would be pleased if anyone wishing to honor his memory would donate to any organization that helps animals. He would be equally pleased if they would turn off that big disinformation machine in their living room (Fox "News"), become informed, and vote responsibly in the November election.