William Joseph Glasser Ii

Obituary for William J Glasser II

(authored by Bill Glasser)


I was born in Tokyo Japan on Feb 23, 1948 in a military hospital. This is no doubt due to the fact my father was a flight navigator in the US Air Force and stationed in Japan during that time. This surreptitious association with Japan was to prove significant in later life as my second spouse and soul mate ended up being of Japanese-American ancestry. Bev, I love you and have since the moment I laid eyes on you in Olympia that fated Saturday in 1991.

My father was transferred from Tokyo Japan to Guam and then on to Hickam Air Force Base in Honolulu, Hawaii where I went to first and second grades. Then transferred to Dover, Delaware where I attended Holy Cross Elementary. Dad retired there and we all moved to Fort Worth, Texas to be near my mother's parents. Fort Worth (of all God forsaken places!), Texas is where I attended high school at Monsignor Nolan High School and lettered at basketball. To be honest, I mostly warmed the bench and got put in late in games that were already won or lost. Oh well. It was better than not being on the team at all!

I attended the University of Texas at Arlington for 2 years. I met my first spouse during this time and we wed in 1969 (the famous summer of love). I have one child, Reseca Dawn, from that marriage. Moved to Austin to complete my BS in Microbiology from UT Austin and then on to grad school at UT Houston School of Public Health. Got drafted in the very last draft during the Vietnam era soon after graduating.

I went to basic training in South Carolina. Days before graduating from Basic Training I was called into the base commander’s office and offered a direct commission as a first lieutenant. In accepting same, I ended up staying stateside and being placed in charge of a Medical Service Company of 243 men at Fort McPherson, Georgia. Did that for 4 years. During that time I grew into a man (or a reasonable semblance thereof)) and learned what real responsibility and leadership was all about.

After the Army service, I went to Pharmacy school at the University of Colorado, Boulder. Spent several years as a retail pharmacist but yearned to get back to the environmental health field in a meaningful capacity. After several short stints as Director of County Health Departments I was able to get on with the US EPA in 1987 –my absolute dream job. Over the next 25 years I worked in Water Quality, Hazardous Waste Management, Toxics Control, Air Quality and ended up my career working on Climate Change/Global Warming. In that final role, I was able to spearhead some of the Northwest's early efforts at getting Fortune 500 CEO's to the table to commit to Greenhouse Gas emission reductions and to agree to climate mitigation strategies. Great way to end a career on a high note.

Retired in 2010 and set out on the last journey to squeeze as much adventure and enjoyment as possible with Bev by my side. We did Morrocco, we did Turkey, we did Sapporo and Beppu Japan, and Patagonia and on and on...loving every minute-expanding our horizons and challenging our assumptions. Our biggest challenge came from the world of politics. Putting up with 4 years of a totally unhinged, unfit and dictatorial president. Thankfully he did not succeed in dismantling the democracy but Lord knows he tried.

Well, that is really darn near the whole story and what I want you to know about my personal history. But above all know this. Please don't mourn for me. I lived a really good life and have exited it fulfilled and content and still in love with the woman of my dreams. Goodbye All and I wish each and every one of you a happy and fulfilled life.

As Charles Dickens use to say about the reformed Mr Scrooge "he knew how to keep Christmas well indeed if any man possessed such knowledge."


Bill Glasser
Jan 2021

Arrangements are entrusted to the Cook Family Funeral Home of Bainbridge Island, Wa.