William Emil Koenig 100th

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Bill stays in shape on the treadmill.

Credit
Heidi Hart

Featured in: May/June 2019

KOENIG 100th

William Emil Koenig celebrated his 100th birthday on Feb. 28, 2019, with a reception at Wheatland Village in Walla Walla, Wash.

Bill Koenig was born on his family’s farm in North Dakota on Feb. 28, 1919, one of 11 children. He graduated from Maplewood Academy in Hutchinson, Minn. Then he was drafted into the Army for World War II, where he served for four years. He earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Agriculture from Emmanuel Missionary College, now Andrews University.

Bill married Marjorie Livingston in 1945. Called to Peru as missionaries, Bill managed the dairy farm at Colegio Union from 1952 to 1962. He earned a master's degree in agriculture in 1963 from Michigan State University. He then managed the dairy herd and milk processing plant at Walla Walla College (WWC) until retirement in 1984. On Feb. 21, 1985, he was inducted into the Washington Purebred Dairy Cattle Association Hall of Fame. He taught college courses at both Colegio Union and WWC. Bill now resides at Wheatland Village, is in good health and enjoys visits from friends.

Bill's family includes Heidi (Koenig) and Wilton Hart of Mosier, Ore.; Sandra (Koenig) and David Jacobson of Williams Lake, British Columbia, Canada; Elizabeth (Koenig) and Steven Behrmann of Albany, Ore.; 5 grandchildren and a great-grandchild.