Buz Whiteley

Buz Whiteley (William H Whiteley Jr.) passed away February 24, 2025. He was born in Seattle, WA, March 12, 1927, to William and Mildred Whiteley. He had one older sister, Virginia, who passed away 13 days prior to his death. He attended Silverdale High School, which is where he started playing the trumpet…more about that later. In 1944, the Navy decided to build the Bangor Base and asked them to vacate their Farm within 30 days. So, they moved to Port Gamble and Buz graduated from North Kitsap High School in 1945. He then joined the Army and fought in World War II.

After the war, he did a ½ year of post graduate study at North Kitsap in 1947, and then attended Washington State College (WSC), where he graduated with a degree in Architectural Engineering in 1951. After graduation, he joined his father’s architectural firm in downtown Seattle.

He married Virginia Mathews (Gina) in 1954. They built a home in Suquamish, where they raised 3 children; Bill, Ann, and Dave. Gina passed away in 2008, but Buz stayed in that house until 2023.

He was a great Dad. He taught us so much about life, from building houses to boats, to celestial navigation and just fixing stuff. There was nothing he couldn’t fix. He taught us to work hard and ask questions. He also taught us boating. He converted a 34’ fishing trawler into a comfortable cruising boat called Garnet. Recreational Trawlers did not exist yet… so Garnet might have been the first of the class. We cruised the San Juan and Gulf Islands every summer with friends and family. They were the best days!

Buz and his Dad were founding members of the Agate Pass Power Squadron, where Buz taught boating and navigation classes for many years. After rescuing countless boats that ran aground on the rock in the inner harbor at Port Ludlow, they built the marker that is in place to this day.

Then there was music, the ultimate gift. From his start in High School, he played in dance bands of all shapes and sizes. The Starlighters, the Poulsbo Playboys, the PYC Vaudeville shows, and then in 1978 the “Buz Whiteley Big Band” was started. The BWBB played a lot of benefit gigs to support School Music programs all over the county and fundraisers for the Red Cross and so many worthy causes. Over the years, there are well over a hundred musicians who have played with us and become like family. No doubt Buz is reconnected with those who have preceded him and is planning his first gig in heaven!

He is survived by his son Bill (William H. Whiteley III), and wife Vicki, of Poulsbo; daughter Ann E. Holt, and husband David, of Poulsbo; and son David A. Whiteley, and wife Kathryn, of Poulsbo; eight grandchildren and two great grandchildren.

Remembrances may be made to the North Kitsap Fishline food bank https://fishlinehelps.org

A celebration of life will follow.

Arrangements are entrusted to Cook Family Funeral Home of Bainbridge Island, WA