William "Bill" Matthews Erwin
Mar 23, 1933 -
May 10, 2022
Longtime Alaska resident William "Bill" Matthews Erwin died in the early morning hours on Tuesday, May 10, 2022, of complications associated with old age and good living. He is survived by his four adult children; eight grandchildren; three great-grandchildren; sister of the heart, Jo Ann Kraly; and many close nieces, nephews and their families. His beloved wife, Sheila, preceded him in death five months earlier in December 2021. Bill passed away one day before his and Sheila's 60th wedding anniversary: the family believes Bill chose his time so he and Sheila could celebrate their incredible milestone together.
Bill was born in Seward, Alaska, on March 23, 1933, and lived to the wonderful age of 89. He was the middle child in the family, growing up with older brother, Jack; younger brother, Robert "Bob"; and younger cousin, Jo Ann. Bill was the last of the three Erwin boys to depart.
Bill was an authentic home grown Alaskan. He received his childhood schooling in Seward, graduating from Seward High School in 1951. Bill had detailed memories of growing up in Alaska, including many close encounters: while working summers for the Alaska Railroad he was once treed by a bear for hours, and the next summer had to outrun a wildfire. He spent countless hours in Resurrection Bay, fishing and watching whales breach so close to the boat that he and his friends often wondered if they would end up swimming to shore. Bill was bigger and looked older than his age, which helped him secure work as a laborer, longshoreman, cement worker and road surveyor during his high school and college breaks. These contributions to building Alaska's infrastructure and the people he worked with along the way profoundly influenced his future pursuits.
After attending college at the University of Colorado in Boulder with his brother Bob, Bill graduated in 1955 with a BA in history and then attended the University of Washington for education credits. He returned to the Alaska Territory in 1956, qualified for a teaching certificate, and settled in his hometown of Seward to teach seventh and eighth grade.
In 1958, as Alaska moved toward statehood, Bill wanted to support the campaigns of those from the Seward area who would run for office in Alaska's first state legislature. Bill found out no one had filed for the House of Representatives seat, so he drove to Anchorage and filed to run as a Democrat. Bill ran his campaign hard and won the privilege of representing Seward in the House, where he ultimately served two terms.
While on a break to visit his brother Bob, who was then the District Attorney in Nome, Bill met teacher Sheila O'Brien, who was working for the Nome School District. The first time Bill asked Sheila out, it was to go bowling - he hoped to show off skills he'd acquired from his Seward bowling league - but she declined. Bill recalibrated and the next time he asked her out, she agreed. They were married in Nome at St. Joseph's Church in May 1962.
Bill's career did not stay in teaching nor in politics. He enrolled in the University of Washington Law School and he and Sheila moved to Seattle, where she continued to teach. When Bill graduated with his LLB in 1965, he and Sheila headed back up the Alaska-Canada Highway. While studying for the Alaska bar exam, Bill accepted a job at a law firm that would become Savage, Erwin and Curran, P.C. As the new attorney, he received the "opportunity" to appeal several cases and secured several surprising wins. One of these cases involved an injured employee in the developing field of Alaska's workers' compensation law. This would become the key focus of his future solo practice for the next 50-plus years. In 1994, he was awarded the Alaska Bar Association's Pro Bono Award, of which he was heard commenting "Oh great, now everyone knows I will work for free!"
1965 also marked the arrival of Bill and Sheila's first children, twins Lynn and Eileen. Daughter Maureen arrived in 1968, followed by son Patrick in 1971. Bill and Sheila took their four kids and the family Scottie dog camping all over the state during the summers, first in a station wagon and big family tent, then via a motorhome named Tiger Lily. He and Sheila attended almost every track meet, volleyball, basketball and football game in which their kids played.
Bill was a supportive and active member of St. Anthony's Parish for many years prior to and following an unconventional conversion to Catholicism in 1983. Of his many travels, a favorite was a pilgrimage trip he and Sheila took to the Holy Land with the Equestrian Order of the Knights and Ladies of the Holy Sepulcher of Jerusalem, a religious organization in which he held the rank of Knight Grand Cross.
Two of Bill's favorite pastimes were duck hunting and fishing. He and the other members of the "duck shack gang" continued to hold their annual hunting trip into their late 60s. The local paper often printed the gang's opening day meal plan because it rivaled a fine dining restaurant menu. Bill also fished at least twice a year in Seward with his longtime friend Monty Richardson. In 1978, he even placed third in the Seward Silver Salmon Derby with a 16.8 lb. catch. However, his kids were generally unimpressed given that his wife Sheila had won derby in 1975, and with a bigger fish.
Bill continued practicing law until his early 80s, when increased hearing loss and the need to spend more time with Sheila led to his retirement. Until COVID-19 struck, Bill continued meeting with other longtime lawyers, especially his brother Bob, to talk shop about - and occasionally resolve - various legal, political and social issues.
In April, Bill unexpectedly went to the emergency room for flu-like symptoms that were caused by an unforeseen end-of-life medical condition. Bill fully participated with his doctors in the conversations and decisions about his care and insisted his daughters be included. His trademark dry humor and direct manner of speaking were present even in these trying circumstances: he reminded his daughter Eileen that he expected to collect the $20 his son-in-law Terry still owed him from the family March Madness pool; and when hospital staff and visitors came to his bedside and started the conversation by asking "how are you feeling?" Bill would often meet these inquiries with a pointed roll of his eyes and respond "…Seriously? I'm dying."
According to his children: Dad's unconditional love supported each of us through very different endeavors. He was also a Girl Dad before there was a name for it. Dad had many life wisdoms he shared, but the one rule he had, which brought eyerolls then but smiles now, was his 25-year minimum age requirement - Dad insisted we could be anything that we wanted to be, and he would support us in whatever ventures we pursued, but he wanted each of us to be at least 25 before got married or made a lifelong commitment. Now, with each of us in our 50s, his sudden passing leaves a hole in each of our hearts that we don't know how will ever be filled.
We wish to thank the nurses, staff and doctors who attended to Dad at Providence Alaska Medical Center, and the staff at Aspen Creek for the consideration and comfort they provided him, as well as former neighbors Adrienne, Michelle and Chris – he knew and appreciated that you cared.
A memorial mass will be held on Saturday, July 2, 2022, at 11 a.m., at St. Patrick's Parish, with a reception to celebrate Bill's life immediately following in the parish hall. Cremation arrangements have been made through Legacy Funeral Homes.
