Long-time Kirkland Kiwanis member, KITH advocate Bill Petter dies at 79

Very few people leave a mark on a city like Bill Petter did in Kirkland.

By Matt Phelps • March 21, 2011 8:41 pm
Long-time resident of Kirkland Bill Petter was very involved in the community with groups such as KITH and Kirkland Kiwanis.
Long-time resident of Kirkland Bill Petter was very involved in the community with groups such as KITH and Kirkland Kiwanis.

Very few people leave a mark on a city like Bill Petter did in Kirkland. The long-time Kirkland resident, Kiwanis member, former president of the Kirkland Chamber of Commerce and board member of Kirkland Interfaith Transitions in Housing died early Monday of a heart attack. Petter was 79 years old.

“He was probably the most friendly guy in Kirkland,” said former Kirkland Mayor Bill Woods, who was a founding board member with Petter on the Bank of Kirkland. “I worked with him on many things but I considered him a great friend.”

Petter’s family and friends are invited to join together for a walk Friday at 5:30 a.m. in remembrance of his routine morning trek along Lake Washington Boulevard. The event will begin in front of Sur Le Table at 90 Central Way. Many motorists remember Petter for his early morning walks and his friendly demeanor, as he waved to passing cars.

Petter made a name for himself in Kirkland during the 1950s through the 1990s with Bel-Kirk Motors in downtown at the corner of Market and Central Way. He also served a term-and-a-half as the president of the Kirkland Chamber of Commerce.

One of his biggest impacts in Kirkland came as a board member emeritus of KITH, for which Petter helped establish Petter Court, two low-income four-plex housing developments. Petter had such an impact on the organization that they established an annual award in his honor – the Bill Petter Homeless Advocate Award.

“Bill Petter was a highly valued member of KITH’s community,” said KITH Development Director Christine Addison. “Bill served on the KITH Board of Directors for 18 years, tirelessly advocating for and providing homeless housing and human services for those in greatest need. KITH’s Petter Court I and II properties are named after the Bill Petter family. The Bill Petter Homeless Housing Advocate Award, beginning in 2010, is given each year to an individual for exceptional dedication and investment of time, talent and treasure to further KITH’s work helping homeless families transition to stability and self-sufficiency.”

Petter also raised nearly $150,000 for the March of Dimes March for Babies during the past 12 years. This year he was in the process of raising $40,000 for the March of Dimes. He also served on the City of Kirkland’s Civil Service Commission.

“I have been volunteering with the March of Dimes for nearly 40 years and I am proud of their work to help give every baby a healthy start in life,” Petter was quoted by the March of Dimes last year.

“He was an advocate for everything positive in town,” said Woods. “He would always greet you with ‘Hey brother.'”

A friend and fellow Kiwanis member, who normally attended an exercise class with Petter, found him on the floor of his bedroom when he failed to show up for class on Monday. Despite attempts to revive Petter he was pronounced dead of a heart attack at Evergreen Hospital around 11:30 a.m.

“Bill takes a whole culture with him,” said Rod Graham, Kirkland Kiwanis member and friend, who added that Petter was also known for baking cookies for various Kiwanis events. “There are a bunch of jokes that we will not be able to tell anymore because no one will understand them.”

Many motorists will also remember Petter for his early morning walks along Lake Washington Boulevard and his friendly demeanor, as he waved to passing cars.