PORT ANGELES — Members of Clallam Fire District No. 2 are mourning the recent loss of one of their own, Chief Sam Phillips announced last week.
William “Bill” Doran, who served the fire district for 51 years, died Oct. 31 at Swedish Medical Center in Seattle.
The World War II veteran was 95.
Services were Thursday.
“Many of us in the fire district will miss Bill. He was always a very humble and very dedicated public servant,” Phillips said in a news release.
Doran served in the U.S. Navy as a radio man on a landing craft in the Pacific Theater during World War II.
From 1967 to 1977 he served in the Naval Reserve.
A professional painter by trade, Doran owned and operated Superior Painters in Port Angeles for three decades.
“His ability to work on ladders at high elevations made him a natural at firefighting,” Phillips said in a news release. “So on March 23, 1955 he joined Clallam County Fire District No. 2 and was assigned to the Gales Addition Fire Station.”
Doran served as a firefighter and was later promoted to station captain. He was promoted to chief of the Gales Addition Station and finally served as commissioner.
In 2004, Doran was recognized by the Washington Fire Commissioners Association for 25 years of service as a commissioner. He retired from the fire district in 2005 after serving for over 50 years.
His son-in-law, Dan Huff, joined the fire district in 1977 after encouragement from his father-in-law and is now the volunteer assistant fire chief managing the eastern half of Clallam Fire District No. 2.
Assistant Chief Huff has been volunteering with the fire district for over 40 years.
“Bill leaves a legacy with our organization, especially in the Gales Addition,” Phillips said.
Clallam Fire District No. 2 serves those within 85 square miles around the city of Port Angeles.
