William "Bill" B Danner MD

William Bruce “Bill” Danner, 94, of Umatilla, passed away on September 13, 2021. 

Bill was born March 6, 1927 in Sico, Kentucky to Otis William and Lake Elizabeth (Salyer) Danner.  After graduating from high school in Knoxville, Tennessee; Bill enlisted in the US Navy at age 17.  He was a Pharmacist Mate 3rd Class on the USS Randolph and was honorably discharged in 1945.

He then attended the University of Tennessee; graduating with a BA in Psychology and a BS in Zoology. 

Bill then enlisted in the U. S. Air Force for the Korean conflict, was discharged early for medical school and graduated from the University of Tennessee as a MD.

In 1956, Bill interned at the US Naval Hospital in Norfolk, Virginia and in 1957 went to work for Public Health and was assigned to Harlan, Montana. After a year, he left to start a private practice in Sidney, Montana and eventually moved to Albany, Oregon.

In 1964, Bill ran the Emergency Rooms in Albany and Salem.  He later left western Oregon and while stopping for gas in Umatilla and talking to the station owner, he learned they needed a doctor in Umatilla so he stayed.  He had a family practice from 1973 until he retired in 1996. 

For the next 6 years, he worked for Indian Health doing Locum Tenens work (filling in for doctors wherever they needed him for two to four weeks at a time.) He was flown in by helicopter to the bottom of the Grand Canyon twice; went to the Colville Indian Reservation; Winnemucca, Nevada; Neah Bay, Washington; and Fort Hall, Idaho.  Bill also did two 4 months sessions in Saudi Arabia for Lockheed Martin.

After retiring again, he planted a small vineyard on his little farm in Umatilla where he raised 8 varieties of wine grapes and made wine.

Bill is survived by his wife, Esther “Lonnie”, at the home; daughters Cathy (Ron) Dimmerman of Lakewood, Washington; and Teresa Baker of Walla Walla, Washington; sons Bruce (Becky) Danner of Kirkland, Washington; Brian (Barbara) Danner of Lebanon, Oregon; and Jeff Danner of Tekoa, Washington; sister Janet Lydecker of Maryville, Tennessee; brother Robert (June) Danner of Florence, North Carolina; stepchildren Fran (Ken) Horn of Manson, Washington; and Dr. Pat Sharkey of Walla Walla, Washington; 16 grandchildren and 29 great-grandchildren. He was preceded in death by his sister Mary Burns Dugger; brother Lewis Harvey Danner; and stepson Philip Sharkey.

A memorial service will be held at 10:00 a.m. on Saturday, September 18th, at St. John’s Episcopal Church, 665 E. Gladys Avenue, Hermiston, Oregon.  

Memorial contributions can be made to the charity of your choice through Burns Mortuary, P. O. Box 289, Hermiston, OR 97838.

Please share memories of Dr. Danner with his family at burnsmortuaryhermiston.com

Burns Mortuary of Hermiston, Oregon is in care of arrangements.

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