William J. "Bill" Powers, 79

Memorial services for William Joseph "Bill" Powers Jr., 79, will be held at 11 a.m. on Saturday, Feb. 5, 2005, at the First Lutheran Church, Sandpoint Idaho.

Bill, who was born on Sept. 30, 1925, in Taunton, Mass., died of leukemia on Jan. 27, 2005, in Sandpoint.

He was the son of William J. and Eva (St. Albin) Powers. Bill served in the U.S. Navy from 1943 to 1946 and moved to California in the 1950s. He relocated to Sandpoint in 1970 and served as Bonner County's first planning and zoning coordinator during the 1970s. He later worked at Panhandle Special Needs and Schweitzer Mountain Resort.

Bill was known for the black Labrador retrievers he bred and trained and for which he won numerous ribbons, awards and trophies. He loved the outdoors, especially if he could he out with his dogs.

Bill was a member of First Lutheran Church. He was preceded in death by his parents; and most recently by his much-loved dog, Amie, whose ashes will he distributed along with his in the great outdoors of their beloved North Idaho.

Memorials in Bill's name may he sent to Panhandle Animal Shelter, 1604 Great Northern Rd., Sandpoint, ID 83864.