William “Bill” George Gabrio, our beloved husband, father, and grandfather, passed away on

Saturday, May 2, 2026, at the age of 85. He will be greatly missed by all those fortunate to have

known him.

Bill began his journey on August 5, 1940, in Crosby, Minnesota, as the son of George and Agnes

Gabrio.  At an early age the family moved to Camas, Washington, where he spent hours exploring

the streets and hills –fishing, hunting, and earning extra money delivering newspapers, working on

local farms, and setting pins at the local bowling alley.   Bill attended Camas High School, where he

was introduced on a blind date to Janet Terrell, a student at his rival high school, and the two formed

an immediate bond.

Following his graduation in 1958, Bill enlisted in the U.S. Navy and served for five years on

assignments that took him around the world. He took particular pride in his service as a submariner

aboard the USS Tunny and the USS Sam Houston. Early in his naval career, Bill rekindled his

relationship with Janet, and they were married in October 1960. After a honeymoon at Priest Lake,

Idaho, they moved to the East Coast and lived in Newport News, Virginia, and New London,

Connecticut, where they welcomed their first child, Sean, before returning to the Pacific Northwest.

Bill and Janet settled in Spokane, Washington, where Bill enrolled at Eastern Washington University

and balanced school, multiple jobs, and a busy young family. With a degree in hand, Bill began the

next stage of his career as a National Bank Examiner for the Office of the Comptroller of the

Currency and later with Old National Bank (ONB)—work that took him to banks across the

Northwest and Alaska. After the arrival of their second child, Colleen, Bill sought less time on the

road and focused on building a robust banking career. This led to leadership roles within ONB’s

Leasing and Insurance divisions.

Bill later pursued a new professional chapter, when he and his partners purchased the F.O. Berg

Company. As President, he provided steady leadership as they expanded both the company’s

manufacturing and retail operations, while remaining faithful to their longstanding heritage as a

producer of shelters and awnings. Bill was especially proud of the patents they secured and the

company’s evolved manufacturing capabilities.

Bill and Janet were deeply engaged—professionally and personally—in the Spokane community. Bill

was an active member of Spokane Business Executives, Junior Achievement, SCORE, and the

Developmental Disabilities Division of Spokane Community Services. He remained committed to his

alma mater, serving as President of the EWU Foundation.

In retirement, Bill remained active in the Spokane business community—mentoring new

entrepreneurs through SCORE, running small businesses, and staying connected with a large

network of friends and colleagues. In 2015, Bill and Janet made the journey back to Camas and

Washougal to be closer to their children and grandchildren. Bill quickly reconnected with high school

classmates and was active in the VFW and peer groups.

With a long list of professional accomplishments, Bill’s most cherished roles were within his family

and friends. He and Janet shared 66 years of marriage, navigating life’s adventures side by side. He                                                     was a proud dad to Sean and Colleen, and a devoted grandpa to Lauren, Megan, Brooke, and

Gwynne. He was a pursuer of knowledge, an avid reader, and a man of many hobbies: genealogy,

woodworking, painting, boat-driving, and grandpa-ing. You could rely on him to fix almost anything.

Bill and Janet loved traveling with family and friends, gathering through Dance Club and Cork n

Cuisine, and tailgating to cheer on their favorite teams—Eastern, WSU, Oregon, Washington, and

Gonzaga. Most often you would find him at Priest Lake—boating, fishing, making trips to Tamarack,

hiking the peaks, and enjoying happy hour on the deck. In short, he firmly believed every day was a

good day at the Lake.

Bill is survived by his wife, Janet; his children, Sean Gabrio (Leslie Gabrio) and Colleen (Gabrio)

Olson (Steven Olson); and his grandchildren, Lauren (Gabrio) Nye (Jacob Nye), Megan Gabrio,

Brooke Olson, and Gwynne Olson, along with an extended family of cherished nieces, nephews,

cousins, and friends.

Please join us for a memorial and celebration of life in his honor on Saturday, May 30, at 2:00 p.m. at

Journey Church, 304 NE 4th Ave, Camas, WA 98607. A reception to immediately follow.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to The Arc of Spokane  at www.arc-spokane.org/give or

by check to The Arc of Spokane, 320 E 2 nd  Ave, Spokane, WA 99202 or to the VFW Camas chapter

by check to VFW Post 4278, P.O. Box 579 Camas, Washington 98607.