Bill Gates Sr.
Gates visiting theNaz Foundation located in India in 2004
Born	William Henry Gates II (1925-11-30)November 30, 1925 Bremerton, Washington, U.S.
Died	September 14, 2020 (aged 94) Hood Canal, Washington, U.S.
Alma mater	University of Washington (BA,JD)
Occupations	Attorney philanthropist civic leader
Spouses	Mary Maxwell ​ ​ (m. 1951; died 1994)​ Mimi Gardner ​ (m. 1996)​
Children	3, includingBill

William Henry Gates II^[1] (November 30, 1925 – September 14, 2020), better known asBill Gates Sr., was an American attorney, philanthropist, and civic leader. He was the founder of the law firm Shidler McBroom & Gates (a predecessor ofK&L Gates),^[2] and also served as president of both the Seattle King County andWashington State Bar associations.^[3] He was the father ofBill Gates, co-founder ofMicrosoft.^[4]

Gates was born inBremerton, Washington, in 1925, and was the son of Lillian Elizabeth Rice (1891–1966) and William Henry Gates (1891–1969), who was himself the son of William Henry Gates, afurniture store owner and gold prospector during theDawson Gold Rush of 1898.^[5][6][4] He graduated fromBremerton High School in 1943.^[7]

Gates served in theUS Army for about 2 years duringWorld War II.^[8][3] He subsequently attended theUniversity of Washington under theG.I. Bill,^[9] earning aB.A. in 1949 and aJ.D. degree in 1950.^[10] While at UW, he was a member of theChi Psi fraternity.^[11]

Gates co-founded the law firm Shidler McBroom & Gates in 1964,^[2] which later became a part ofPreston Gates & EllisLLP (PGE). He practiced with the firm until 1998, when it was merged into the firm now known asK&L Gates.^[11][12]

Gates' legal practice focused on corporate, technology and disputes.^[13] During his career he served as president of both the Seattle/King County Bar Association and theWashington State Bar Association.^[14]

Gates served on the boards of numerous organizations in thePacific Northwest, including theGreater Seattle Chamber of Commerce,^[15] King CountyUnited Way andPlanned Parenthood.^[9][16][17] In 1995, he founded theTechnology Alliance, whose mission is to expand technology-based employment inWashington.^[15]

In 1998, Gates retired from Preston Gates & Ellis.^[12] He served for fifteen years on theBoard of Regents of the University of Washington,^[18] and until his death was a co-chair of theBill and Melinda Gates Foundation,^[9] which his sonBill and his daughter-in-lawMelinda founded. He served as a director for the bulk retail corporationCostco Wholesale from 2003, and was a founding co-chair of thePacific Health Summit.^[19] He served as an honorary chair for theWorld Justice Project.^[15] The project works to lead a global,multidisciplinary effort to strengthen theRule of Law for the development of communities of opportunity and equity.^[20]

Gates co-authored the bookWealth and Our Commonwealth: Why America Should Tax Accumulated Fortunes withChuck Collins. It is a defense of the policies promoted by theestate tax.^[21][22] He was also the author of the bookShowing Up for Life: Thoughts on the Gifts of a Lifetime.^[23]

In 1987 Gates Sr. assistedHoward Schultz in buying theStarbucks coffee chain.^{[24][25][26][27][28]}

In 1951, Gates marriedMary Maxwell Gates (née Maxwell) (1929–1994), whom he met at the University of Washington (UW), and they remained married until her death in 1994. They had three children: Kristianne,Bill, and Libby. His two daughters, Kristi Blake and Libby Armintrout, are both active members of the UW community.^[9] He was a lifelong supporter of theWashington Huskies college football team.^[18]

In 1996, Gates married his second wifeMimi Gardner Gates (b. 1943), who was director of theSeattle Art Museum.^[9]

In 2018, it was revealed that Gates was suffering fromAlzheimer's disease.^[29][30] He died on September 14, 2020, aged 94, at his beach home onHood Canal inWashington state.^[4] In a tribute,his son said that his "wisdom, generosity, empathy, and humility had a huge influence on people around the world."^[31][32]

• Awarded theDistinguished Eagle Scout Award, to acknowledge his business and civic success at least 25 years after earningEagle Scout rank.^[33][34] 1941.^[35]
• President of Seattle–King County Bar Association, 1969–1970^[36]
• President ofWashington State Bar Association, 1986–1987^[37]
• Recipient ofUniversity of Washington School of Law Distinguished Alumnus, 1991^[38]
• Recipient ofAmerican Judicature Society's Herbert Harley Award, 1992^[39]
• Served on Board for Judicial Administration,Washington State Supreme Court, 1993–1995
• Served onBoard of Regents of the University of Washington, 1997–2012^[40]
• Inducted intoAmerican Academy of Arts and Sciences, 2003^[41]
• William H. Gates Hall at theUniversity of Washington School of Law was named for him in 2003^[42]
• AwardedWashington Medal of Merit, 2009^[43]
• Recipient of theAmerican Bar Association Medal (2009), the highest honor in the American legal community^[13]
• Recipient ofChi Psi Fraternity'sAlbert S. Bard Award, 2010, for contributions to the intellectual and cultural life of the community^[44]
• Recipient of UW Alumni Association's Alumnus Summa Laude Dignatus (ASLD) Award, 2013^[45]

Bill Gerberding, who wasPresident of the University of Washington from 1979 to 1995, described Gates as "a good man with a big heart [and] generous public spirit", whileNorman Rice, formerMayor of Seattle, characterized Gates' core values as "social justice and economic opportunity".^[9]

• 1925 births
• 2020 deaths
• 20th-century American lawyers
• 20th-century American philanthropists
• 21st-century American philanthropists
• American law firm executives
• American nonprofit businesspeople
• American people of English descent
• American people of German descent
• Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation people
• Businesspeople from Seattle
• Deaths from Alzheimer's disease in Washington (state)
• Neurological disease deaths in Washington (state)
• Gates family
• Lawyers from Seattle
• Military personnel from Washington (state)
• People from Bremerton, Washington
• People from Dearborn, Michigan
• Philanthropists from Washington (state)
• Regents of the University of Washington
• United States Army personnel of World War II
• United States Army soldiers
• University of Washington School of Law alumni
• People associated with K&L Gates

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