Obituary for William Douglas Broyles
William Douglas “Bill” Broyles, 79, of Clarkston, passed peacefully Sunday, May 28, 2023, at Evergreen Estates in Clarkston.
Bill was born July 31, 1943, in Spokane to V. Pete and Frankee Broyles. Bill’s family (his parents, older sister Colleen, and younger brother Robert “Bob,”) lived in Spokane early in his life, then moved to Playa del Ray, Calif., in the early 1950s. Dad told stories of swimming so far out in the ocean that the coast guard picked him up and gave him a good talking to. From there, his family moved out to the desert at Twentynine Palms, Calif. His family homesteaded 5 acres, and his dad built a house from an old barracks that he dismantled and hauled to the homestead acreage. It was a one-room shack for the family of five, with no electricity and no plumbing. They used propane for lights and to cook. His dad erected a water tower, and Bill and his younger brother, Bob, rode their bikes three miles each way (for 25 cents) to ask for the water truck to come deliver water to their family. Dad’s family moved to the Lewiston-Clarkston Valley in 1954. His dad died when Bill was just 16. His grandfather, Frank Nelson, guided Bill to work in the tire industry. Dad learned how to recap tires and worked here in the valley at his grandfather’s tire shop.
Bill met the love of his life, Nicki Ausman, when the two were in high school. They began dating and were married Nov. 30, 1962, in Asotin. After celebrating 60 years of marriage, Bill lost his Nicki when she passed April 19, 2023.
Bill and Nicki raised their three children (Shannon, Pete and Tiffany) as they moved around the Pacific Northwest. The Seattle area, Spokane and Harrison, were some of the places they called home, but he raised his family mostly in Pierce. Bill would spend most of his life working as a tire man, retreading tires, selling rubber for tires and managing the tires for the fleet of logging trucks at Headquarters. He also pulled green chain at the mill in St. Maries and at Jaype in Pierce. After a few moves in the late 80s, Bill and Nicki settled in Clarkston, where they would live in the same house for over thirty years.
Dad loved drag racing, swimming, his pet dogs and anything to do with new technology. He drag raced in Spokane early in his relationship with Nicki, until she made him quit after their daughter, Shannon, was born. He liked to brag about swimming all the way across Chatcolet Lake, and he had a pool that he put up each summer and tended to faithfully. When his young family lived in Spokane, he would take his wife and kids to Liberty Lake after working all day in the hot tire shop. He instilled in all of his kids a love for the water. When the family lived in Pierce, dad and Pete got into ham radios, getting licensed, and building their own radios. Dad was one of the first people to own a home computer in Clearwater County. He brought home a Tandy Computer from Radio Shack and taught himself to program computers. He and his son Pete would eventually write medical billing software and had their own business for about 13 years. He enjoyed spending time with his family and loved animals, especially dogs. He had a pet dog for the majority of his adult life.
Dad is survived by daughter Shannon (Jeff Shiell), son Pete (Nancy) and daughter Tiffany (Kevin) Faul, his sister Colleen Johnson of Silverton, Idaho, his brother Robert “Bob” (Marsha) Broyles of Clarkston, and his two cousins, Julie Firth and Fredericka Foster Shapiro. Dad loved his family and leaves many cherished memories. He had seven grandchildren: Cheyenne, Mickey, Jessica, Willie, Katie, Karlie and Payton, and seven great-grandchildren. He was preceded in death by his parents and his beloved Nicki Jo.
A celebration of his life will be held at 3 p.m. Friday, June 2, at Our Savior’s Lutheran Church, 1115 13th St., Clarkston. In lieu of flowers, he requests that you consider donating to the American Diabetes Association or a charity of your choice.
Bill was born July 31, 1943, in Spokane to V. Pete and Frankee Broyles. Bill’s family (his parents, older sister Colleen, and younger brother Robert “Bob,”) lived in Spokane early in his life, then moved to Playa del Ray, Calif., in the early 1950s. Dad told stories of swimming so far out in the ocean that the coast guard picked him up and gave him a good talking to. From there, his family moved out to the desert at Twentynine Palms, Calif. His family homesteaded 5 acres, and his dad built a house from an old barracks that he dismantled and hauled to the homestead acreage. It was a one-room shack for the family of five, with no electricity and no plumbing. They used propane for lights and to cook. His dad erected a water tower, and Bill and his younger brother, Bob, rode their bikes three miles each way (for 25 cents) to ask for the water truck to come deliver water to their family. Dad’s family moved to the Lewiston-Clarkston Valley in 1954. His dad died when Bill was just 16. His grandfather, Frank Nelson, guided Bill to work in the tire industry. Dad learned how to recap tires and worked here in the valley at his grandfather’s tire shop.
Bill met the love of his life, Nicki Ausman, when the two were in high school. They began dating and were married Nov. 30, 1962, in Asotin. After celebrating 60 years of marriage, Bill lost his Nicki when she passed April 19, 2023.
Bill and Nicki raised their three children (Shannon, Pete and Tiffany) as they moved around the Pacific Northwest. The Seattle area, Spokane and Harrison, were some of the places they called home, but he raised his family mostly in Pierce. Bill would spend most of his life working as a tire man, retreading tires, selling rubber for tires and managing the tires for the fleet of logging trucks at Headquarters. He also pulled green chain at the mill in St. Maries and at Jaype in Pierce. After a few moves in the late 80s, Bill and Nicki settled in Clarkston, where they would live in the same house for over thirty years.
Dad loved drag racing, swimming, his pet dogs and anything to do with new technology. He drag raced in Spokane early in his relationship with Nicki, until she made him quit after their daughter, Shannon, was born. He liked to brag about swimming all the way across Chatcolet Lake, and he had a pool that he put up each summer and tended to faithfully. When his young family lived in Spokane, he would take his wife and kids to Liberty Lake after working all day in the hot tire shop. He instilled in all of his kids a love for the water. When the family lived in Pierce, dad and Pete got into ham radios, getting licensed, and building their own radios. Dad was one of the first people to own a home computer in Clearwater County. He brought home a Tandy Computer from Radio Shack and taught himself to program computers. He and his son Pete would eventually write medical billing software and had their own business for about 13 years. He enjoyed spending time with his family and loved animals, especially dogs. He had a pet dog for the majority of his adult life.
Dad is survived by daughter Shannon (Jeff Shiell), son Pete (Nancy) and daughter Tiffany (Kevin) Faul, his sister Colleen Johnson of Silverton, Idaho, his brother Robert “Bob” (Marsha) Broyles of Clarkston, and his two cousins, Julie Firth and Fredericka Foster Shapiro. Dad loved his family and leaves many cherished memories. He had seven grandchildren: Cheyenne, Mickey, Jessica, Willie, Katie, Karlie and Payton, and seven great-grandchildren. He was preceded in death by his parents and his beloved Nicki Jo.
A celebration of his life will be held at 3 p.m. Friday, June 2, at Our Savior’s Lutheran Church, 1115 13th St., Clarkston. In lieu of flowers, he requests that you consider donating to the American Diabetes Association or a charity of your choice.