Bruce C. Witham

The end of the most remarkable life of Bruce C. Witham, 56, occurred on February 21, 2012, surrounded by the love of his family. He was born in Lewiston, Maine, to Bill and Betty Witham. In his youth he achieved the rank of Eagle Scout and in his later teens he became a sax player for the Jones Orchestra and the radio deejay known as The Big BW. He worked as a scorer at Oxford Plains Speedway, which started his love for NASCAR. Also in his late teens he joined the fire department in Norway, Maine, where he proudly served as a firefighter for over twenty years, which he considered his life’s greatest accomplishment. He owned his own construction company and became the project manager for Saddleback Mountain Ski Area in Rangeley, Maine. Prior to moving to Washington State, he was a supervisor at C.B. Cummings, a wood products mill. In Wenatchee, Washington, he joined the Odom Corporation/NW Select Wines in sales, later becoming an On-Premise Fine Wine Manager. He always referred to himself as a jack-of-all-trades and a master of none. A lifelong avid outdoorsman, he greatly enjoyed hunting, fly fishing, trapping, skiing, and snowmobiling, always returning to his beloved hunting camp in Maine. Having discovered Lummi Island in Washington, he realized his lifelong dream and purchased his boat Mrs. Jones, where he spent many enjoyable hours crabbing, fishing, and prawning in the San Juan Islands. Unknown to most, he had several small roles in community theatre. He was a steadfast supporter of his beloved New England Patriots and Boston Red Sox. He loved to travel, especially to Mexico and Hawaii, but at home he became an accomplished gardener and cook and loved to entertain his many friends. In service to his community, he was a Mason in Maine and a member of the Exchange Club in Wenatchee. Seventeen years to the day of his death, he married the love of his life, Deborah. They met at Christian Ridge Farm in Maine where he had come to paint the farm, never left, and never painted the farm. They eventually purchased White Mountain View Farm where they raised cows, chickens, turkeys, goats, and pigs, kept bees, and made maple syrup. They relocated to Wenatchee, Washington, to be closer to family. He is preceded in death by his parents and survived by his wife Deborah Witham, M.D. and numerous family and friends, along with his devoted dog, Sam. The Final Final, a Celebration of Life Open House, will be held on March 3, 2012, from 3:00 to 6:00 pm at the Cottonwood Room, ESD Building, Olds Station, Wenatchee. Services will be held in Maine at a later date when he will be taken home for his final resting place. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made in Bruce's memory to the Boys and Girls Club Lummi Island Extension and to the Norway Firemen's Relief Association. Near the end of his life he asked if he would be a good angel. He will be The Best. Arrangements are by Jones & Jones-Betts Funeral Home, Wenatchee.

Tributes

Bruce C. Witham

February 21, 2012