Obituary for
William James Gaddis
William J. Gaddis, 83, of Medford, died November 17 at his home. Arrangements are by Hillcrest Memorial Park and Mortuary (see website at www.hillcrestmortuary.com to post comments and memories). Per his instructions, no service is planned.
He was born December 18, 1932 at Baker City, OR and attended Saint Francis High School there.
During the Korean Conflict he served in the U.S. Air Force and afterward attended various colleges in Southern California. On January 11, 1953 in Caldwell, Idaho, he married Kathleen T. Zabel. They moved to Medford in 1960 and divorced in 1984.
A professional civil engineer, Mr. Gaddis was employed by ODOT from 1961 to 1970. During that time he was involved with a variety of road and bridge construction projects in Southern Oregon.
In 1970 Mr. Gaddis was hired as county engineer by the Jackson County Public Works Department, a position he held until his retirement in 1991.
Mr. Gaddis enjoyed the outdoors, literature and the writing and publishing of short stories. He was a life member of the Oregon Association of County Engineers and Surveyors and an associate member of the Mid-Willamette Chapter of the Professional Engineers of Oregon.
He is survived by his sister, Janet Horn, and his six children: Tricia K. Grey of Marietta, GA; Teri L. Landtiser of Portland, OR; Anne M. Marcus of Ridgefield, CT; David W. Gaddis of Beaverton, OR; Mark A. Gaddis of Jos, Nigeria and James B. Gaddis of Dunwoody, GA. He was predeceased by his younger brother Mike.
Prayers of the Faithful will be held this Sunday and next (December 4 and 11), and a Catholic mass will be dedicated in his honor on Friday, February 24, 2017 at Sacred Heart Church in Medford, which the family joined in 1960. He will also be included in the annual Scrolls of the Dead.
