Remembering William H. Batts, 1927-2025

Family and friends are remembering Bill Batts and sharing this remembrance with his community:

William (Bill) Howard Batts entered fully into the presence of the Lord on November 4, 2025, about one month after celebrating his 98th birthday. He passed peacefully with family at his side.

He was born to William and Elizabeth (Bessie) Batts on October 6, 1927 in Seattle and was their only child. He took after his 6’6” father, but only reached 6’4”.

Bill attended Alki Elementary, Madison Junior High School, West Seattle High School, and graduated from the University of Washington in 1951.

During his high school and young adult days he belonged to the Puget Sound Small Bore Rifle League, a bowling league, as well as a competitive table tennis league.

During summer vacation from high school in 1943, Bill worked for Sears in the catalogue department. Years later after majoring in transportation at the University of Washington, he returned to Sears. In 1953 he completed a course in interstate traffic law and became an interstate commerce commission practitioner and worked as a transportation manager out of the SODO Sears building.

In the fall of 1956 he met the love of his life, Lois Wallen, in the back seat of a mutual friend’s car on their way to a church dance. They were soon engaged and then were married on February 22, 1957. They bought a house and settled down in the Genesee Hill area of West Seattle and there raised 3 children – Ben, Bill, and Janis. There they also became longtime members of West Side Presbyterian Church.

Bill was an active & competitive man in a very quiet, gentlemanly way. His many interests included skiing (until his early 70’s), boating, salmon fishing, sunning himself (he always had the best tan around), and growing & competitively showing dahlias. He was part of a small group of dahlia enthusiasts who started the Puget Sound Dahlia Association – his story can be found online by searching the Dahlia Legacy Project.

He enjoyed Husky football, Seattle Sonics, Seahawks and Mariners games, playing card games with family & friends, telling dad jokes, and traveling often with Lois.

Bill was a loving supporter of Lois’s many volunteer efforts and was happy to be her chauffeur since she never did get a driver’s license. He retired from Sears at 57 years old to be able to spend a long retirement enjoying time with Lois and family.

He was preceded in death by his wife Lois, survived by son Ben Batts, son Bill Batts (Jenni), daughter Janis Kelly (Tim), grandchildren: Taylor Batts (Mikaela), Ruth Sonsteng (David), Julia Foote (Spencer), Kathryn Batts, William Batts (Cassie), Stephen Kelly, and Victoria Kelly-Hodder (Ben), and seven great-grandchildren: Aiden, Emma, Cole, Bannon, Sylvester, Renato, and Emiliana.

We have great appreciation for all of the loving staff at The Kenney, Dr Monika Cox, Swedish First Hill, and Gentiva hospice care.

There will be a private family graveside service Dec 4th and potential combined memorial service for Bill and Lois later this winter or spring.

(WSB publishes West Seattle obituaries and memorial announcements by request, free of charge. Please email the text, and a photo if available, to westseattleblog@gmail.com)

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