William Cairns met adversity with practicality and humor

William Conrad Cairns, an Eastside civic leader and former president of Seattle's Wyckoff Co., a wood-preservative firm, was no stranger to adversity.

But he overcame challenges with pragmatism and humor.

He helped his first wife, Shirley Cairns, to whom he was married 23 years, battle cancer for several years until her death in 1980.

Then he helped his second wife, to whom he was married 18 years, guide her children through their teen years.

In the 1980s, when the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) was investigating corporate polluters, Mr. Cairns took responsibility for his company's illegal dumping of toxic waste into the Duwamish River, paid a $25,000 fine and served 60 days in work release. This and other woes forced him to sell his Clyde Hill home, where he lived for 30 years.

"He didn't like how aggressively (the EPA) came after the company," said his son, Don Cairns of Redmond. "But he decided to take responsibility for the problem rather than blaming others."

Mr. Cairns had a heart attack in 1990 and retired. Several years ago, he beat prostate cancer.

"My dad had the resiliency to keep bouncing back," said his son. "He kept his sense of humor and his humility. He didn't dwell on his problems, but just kind of motored along."

Mr. Cairns died Tuesday (March 28) of a heart attack in his sleep. He was 75.

Born in Des Moines, Iowa, he grew up in Portland. He worked as a lumberjack in Alaska and attended Reed College.

During World War II, he served as a navigator/bombardier in the Army Air Forces. He earned an engineering degree with honors at Stanford University in 1949.

His career in the wood-treating industry - utility poles, railroad ties, dock pilings and lumber - began with the J.X. Baxter firm in San Francisco and Portland.

Mr. Cairns moved to Seattle in 1959 to manage a Baxter/Wyckoff joint venture. When the companies parted a few years later, he became president of Wyckoff.

During those years, he was active in Rotary Club of Seattle and Overlake Golf and Country Club, and served on the board of directors for Peoples National Bank.

"My husband was a kind man, kind to everyone, despite having gone through a lot of tragedies," said Judith Cairns. "Only three weeks ago, he converted to the Catholic faith. . . . He was Presbyterian, but he did this for us."

Also surviving are children Doug Cairns, Seattle; Lenny Martin, Portland; Gary Martin, Bellingham; and Maggie Sobol, Redmond; brothers Jack Cairns and Bob Cairns, both of Portland; a sister, Doris Ferguson, Hemet, Calif.; and 14 grandchildren.

Mass is at 11 a.m. Monday at Sacred Heart Catholic Church, 9460 N.E. 14th St., Bellevue. Donations may go to the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, 1124 Columbia St., Seattle, WA 98104.

Carole Beers' e-mail address is cbeers@seattletimes.com