Bill Schonely had a Heart of Gold

Portland and Providence, along with Oregon and the entire Northwest, lost a friend Saturday.

Bill Schonely will be best remembered for his Trail Blazers broadcasts, and of course, “Rip City!” Here at Providence, we shared something different with Bill. He had a special passion for the children and the care they received at Providence Child Center and the Center for Medically Fragile Children. His involvement began in 1996, and in 1998, Bill received the Providence Heart of Gold Award for his steadfast advocacy for the children living in the center.

He served on the board of the Providence Child Center Foundation for more than twenty years. In 2009, Providence established the “Bill’s Kids Fund” in honor of his 80th birthday. Since its creation, Bill helped raise millions of dollars through this fund to support the center.

“Bill’s commitment to the children we serve at Providence was boundless. His passion never wavered, and we are deeply grateful for his decades of service, his giving spirit, and his generous heart,” said Kelly Buechler, chief philanthropy officer for Providence Foundations of Oregon.

“Bill said on several occasions that if he ever had a bad day, a visit to ‘Bill’s Kids’ at the Center for Medically Fragile Children would change that day for him,” said William Olson, chief executive for Providence Oregon. “On behalf of all the people of Providence, we send our love and prayers to Dottie and Bill’s family, and we will be holding them in our hearts.”

Photo: Bill at Providence Center for Medically Fragile Children in 2019 with Evie Suess and her mom, Korine. Evie still lives at the center today.

Media Tributes:
KGW
Portland Tribune
OregonLive
KATU
KTVL, Medford

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