William (Bill) Michael Chase

Published 8:51 am Tuesday, April 23, 2024

1945 – 2024

William (Bill) Michael Chase of Bend, Oregon, passed away on March 8, 2024 at the age of 79. He peacefully died surrounded by his wife Nancy, daughter Elizabeth (Liz), and son Andrew.

Bill was born at Camp Carson (now Fort Carson), in Colorado Springs, Colorado to Russell and Dorothy (née Hopkins) Chase. He attended Bend-La Pine Schools until his family was transferred to Madrid-Torrejón Air Force Base in Spain in 1960. Bill completed high school and graduated from Madrid-Torrejón High School in 1963 when he attended the University of Maryland at Munich for several years before finishing at Colorado State University in Fort Collins, Colorado where he earned a Bachelor’s of Science in Political Science in 1968 and a Bachelor’s of Art in 1972.

Bill was a beloved friend by many. In college, he pledged and was a dedicated member of the Alpha Gamma Rho fraternity. The brothers started a camping tradition which continued as the members moved around the country, settled down, and had families. Eventually the wives and children were invited and the tradition continues to this day, including some of these brothers who visited Bill in his final days from around the country.

Bill and Nancy met at Colorado State University and soon after graduation, Bill joined his parents in Bend where there were family roots. He began working for the Oregon Department of Transportation and ended up working for the Department of Motor Vehicles for 36 years. While his children were school age, he served on the Bend-La Pine School Board for twelve years and also volunteered on the Bend Traffic Safety Committee and with the Rotary Club.

People rarely met Bill without leaving with a smile. He was energetic and outgoing, with a passion for history, politics, and his family and friends. As he retired, he spent more time with friends, either at the coffee shop with the “coffee crew” or in the neighborhood where he and Nancy lived for 38 years. They also had more time to travel, returning to Spain when he showed Nancy his haunts from high school days in Madrid and over the years they made many trips to Maui, Hawaii. He and Nancy developed friends in Maui as well, and Bill was often known to begin packing weeks in advance of each Maui trip.

Bill is survived by his wife Nancy (née Redenbaugh) Chase of 48 years; his son, Andrew and wife Claire Turpel of Chimacum, Washington; his daughter, Elizabeth Chase Abbott, husband Michael Abbott, and grandson Chase of Seattle WA; his brother, Rusty Chase of Bend Oregon; and beloved local family including his sister-in-law, nephews, and grand-nieces and nephews.

Celebration of life will be held May 4, 2024 at 2pm at First Presbyterian Church, Bend OR.

If so inclined, please help the family give where Bill would have appreciated it most. Contributions can be made in Bill’s name to:

Hawaiian Community Foundation 444 Hana Hwy Suite 201 Kahului, HI 96732 (808) 242-6184 www.hawaiicommunityfoundation.org