Former Kirkland mayor and longtime community champion Bill Woods died Dec. 7, 2022. He was 97.

Woods, a World War II veteran, worked as a pharmacist for about 40 years. He moved to Kirkland in 1953 when the city had about 5,000 residents, and in 1962, he opened the Lakeshore Pharmacy.

Woods served on the Kirkland City Council as mayor from 1966-1974. After his time in government, he spent several years raising money to make the Kirkland Performance Center a reality.

Woods and his public service left an indelible legacy with the city. He helped change the city’s style of government from a mayor-centric system to the current council/city manager administration. As mayor, he oversaw one of the city’s biggest growth spurts with the annexation of Houghton, which nearly doubled the city’s size.

Woods also served on the Kirkland Chamber of Commerce board for many years and was instrumental in the development of the Kirkland Downtown Association. He served as president of the Jaycees and Rotary clubs as well as the Washington State Pharmacy Association. The Chamber’s William C. Woods Above and Beyond Award is named after him.

“Bill demonstrated a long-time love and commitment toward the community through his generosity of time,” according to a statement from the Greater Kirkland Chamber of Commerce. “We are a better city and community because of Bill’s numerous contributions, and he will be dearly missed.”

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This report includes information from previous Kirkland Reporter stories.