"Bill" Wilton Purcell Penland was born in Esdacada, Oregon on August 11, 1910.
He died in Oroville, California on June 16, 1996. As I have heard people say, my entire life, "He was the Biggest, Little Man, I ever met." He was my Father.
Dad grew up in the area around Portland, Oregon and as a child lived in a Houseboat on the Columbia Slough. He would roller skate from the Houseboat 8 miles into Portland on Saturday and Sunday to sell newspapers on the corner during the morning, and then in the afternoon, he would roller skate another 10 miles out to Multnomah and caddy 18 holes on the golf course and then roller skate 18 more miles home before dinner.
He lived through the Great
Depression and experienced families living nearly any place they could find to keep their families dry and warm if possible. I remember him telling of families living in concrete culverts and under bridges. During the later years of the Great Depression, his brother Everett got him a job as a truck driver hauling fill dirt and gravel to fill in the the bay for the East Approach to the San Francisco, Oakland Bay Bridge.
Dad was a man that followed his heart all of his life, but never lost site of his family ever. He proved over and over again that he would sacrifice his pleasure for that of his family, and when he had no more to give, absolutely refused to be a burden on his family or fellow man.
He was a father by love, a friend to all, hard when it was time for his children to learn, patient when they were learning from their mistakes, a cement mason (one of the best) by necessity, a gold miner in his heart, and an author who left a legacy for his children to follow and for others to read about and enjoy.
Dad lived by a code of honor not often seen and expected the same from his family. Physically, he was as hard as steel, yet would never take the life of an animal unless it was needed to feed his family. He believed everyone should be allowed to take what they needed of nature to survive and care for their family, but never any more. He never believed in hunting or fishing except if you intended to use it to feed yourself or your family.
He would go to the aid of nearly anyone in need and give away nearly anything he had if someone needed it and he or his family didn't need it. When he tore down an old building, he would clean and reuse the lumber and collect and straighten every nail so as not to waste our natural resources.
His book, "Deep Canyon, Heavy Gold", is a romantic journey
through his greatest passion, "The Feather
River Canyon, Plumas County, California during a time when, as he would say, "Men were men and cholesterol had not been invented yet." He tells of a time at Rich
Bar before there was a highway or even a road through the Feather River Canyon. You will enjoy his honesty and his perspective and things that made him laugh and you are sure to shed at least a few tears when you read how cold and cruel life can really be.
If you want to know more about this man, read his book "Deep
Canyon, Heavy Gold" or email me your questions at [email protected] or stop by my web site occasionally as I am updating it as time goes on. It is: Http://www.MostlyFun.Com
He died in Oroville, California on June 16, 1996. As I have heard people say, my entire life, "He was the Biggest, Little Man, I ever met." He was my Father.
Dad grew up in the area around Portland, Oregon and as a child lived in a Houseboat on the Columbia Slough. He would roller skate from the Houseboat 8 miles into Portland on Saturday and Sunday to sell newspapers on the corner during the morning, and then in the afternoon, he would roller skate another 10 miles out to Multnomah and caddy 18 holes on the golf course and then roller skate 18 more miles home before dinner.
He lived through the Great
Depression and experienced families living nearly any place they could find to keep their families dry and warm if possible. I remember him telling of families living in concrete culverts and under bridges. During the later years of the Great Depression, his brother Everett got him a job as a truck driver hauling fill dirt and gravel to fill in the the bay for the East Approach to the San Francisco, Oakland Bay Bridge.
Dad was a man that followed his heart all of his life, but never lost site of his family ever. He proved over and over again that he would sacrifice his pleasure for that of his family, and when he had no more to give, absolutely refused to be a burden on his family or fellow man.
He was a father by love, a friend to all, hard when it was time for his children to learn, patient when they were learning from their mistakes, a cement mason (one of the best) by necessity, a gold miner in his heart, and an author who left a legacy for his children to follow and for others to read about and enjoy.
Dad lived by a code of honor not often seen and expected the same from his family. Physically, he was as hard as steel, yet would never take the life of an animal unless it was needed to feed his family. He believed everyone should be allowed to take what they needed of nature to survive and care for their family, but never any more. He never believed in hunting or fishing except if you intended to use it to feed yourself or your family.
He would go to the aid of nearly anyone in need and give away nearly anything he had if someone needed it and he or his family didn't need it. When he tore down an old building, he would clean and reuse the lumber and collect and straighten every nail so as not to waste our natural resources.
His book, "Deep Canyon, Heavy Gold", is a romantic journey
through his greatest passion, "The Feather
River Canyon, Plumas County, California during a time when, as he would say, "Men were men and cholesterol had not been invented yet." He tells of a time at Rich
Bar before there was a highway or even a road through the Feather River Canyon. You will enjoy his honesty and his perspective and things that made him laugh and you are sure to shed at least a few tears when you read how cold and cruel life can really be.
If you want to know more about this man, read his book "Deep
Canyon, Heavy Gold" or email me your questions at [email protected] or stop by my web site occasionally as I am updating it as time goes on. It is: Http://www.MostlyFun.Com
"Bill" Wilton Purcell Penland was born in Esdacada, Oregon on August 11, 1910.
He died in Oroville, California on June 16, 1996. As I have heard people say, my entire life, "He was the Biggest, Little Man, I ever met." He was my Father.
Dad grew up in the area around Portland, Oregon and as a child lived in a Houseboat on the Columbia Slough. He would roller skate from the Houseboat 8 miles into Portland on Saturday and Sunday to sell newspapers on the corner during the morning, and then in the afternoon, he would roller skate another 10 miles out to Multnomah and caddy 18 holes on the golf course and then roller skate 18 more miles home before dinner.
He lived through the Great
Depression and experienced families living nearly any place they could find to keep their families dry and warm if possible. I remember him telling of families living in concrete culverts and under bridges. During the later years of the Great Depression, his brother Everett got him a job as a truck driver hauling fill dirt and gravel to fill in the the bay for the East Approach to the San Francisco, Oakland Bay Bridge.
Dad was a man that followed his heart all of his life, but never lost site of his family ever. He proved over and over again that he would sacrifice his pleasure for that of his family, and when he had no more to give, absolutely refused to be a burden on his family or fellow man.
He was a father by love, a friend to all, hard when it was time for his children to learn, patient when they were learning from their mistakes, a cement mason (one of the best) by necessity, a gold miner in his heart, and an author who left a legacy for his children to follow and for others to read about and enjoy.
Dad lived by a code of honor not often seen and expected the same from his family. Physically, he was as hard as steel, yet would never take the life of an animal unless it was needed to feed his family. He believed everyone should be allowed to take what they needed of nature to survive and care for their family, but never any more. He never believed in hunting or fishing except if you intended to use it to feed yourself or your family.
He would go to the aid of nearly anyone in need and give away nearly anything he had if someone needed it and he or his family didn't need it. When he tore down an old building, he would clean and reuse the lumber and collect and straighten every nail so as not to waste our natural resources.
His book, "Deep Canyon, Heavy Gold", is a romantic journey
through his greatest passion, "The Feather
River Canyon, Plumas County, California during a time when, as he would say, "Men were men and cholesterol had not been invented yet." He tells of a time at Rich
Bar before there was a highway or even a road through the Feather River Canyon. You will enjoy his honesty and his perspective and things that made him laugh and you are sure to shed at least a few tears when you read how cold and cruel life can really be.
If you want to know more about this man, read his book "Deep
Canyon, Heavy Gold" or email me your questions at [email protected] or stop by my web site occasionally as I am updating it as time goes on. It is: Http://www.MostlyFun.Com
He died in Oroville, California on June 16, 1996. As I have heard people say, my entire life, "He was the Biggest, Little Man, I ever met." He was my Father.
Dad grew up in the area around Portland, Oregon and as a child lived in a Houseboat on the Columbia Slough. He would roller skate from the Houseboat 8 miles into Portland on Saturday and Sunday to sell newspapers on the corner during the morning, and then in the afternoon, he would roller skate another 10 miles out to Multnomah and caddy 18 holes on the golf course and then roller skate 18 more miles home before dinner.
He lived through the Great
Depression and experienced families living nearly any place they could find to keep their families dry and warm if possible. I remember him telling of families living in concrete culverts and under bridges. During the later years of the Great Depression, his brother Everett got him a job as a truck driver hauling fill dirt and gravel to fill in the the bay for the East Approach to the San Francisco, Oakland Bay Bridge.
Dad was a man that followed his heart all of his life, but never lost site of his family ever. He proved over and over again that he would sacrifice his pleasure for that of his family, and when he had no more to give, absolutely refused to be a burden on his family or fellow man.
He was a father by love, a friend to all, hard when it was time for his children to learn, patient when they were learning from their mistakes, a cement mason (one of the best) by necessity, a gold miner in his heart, and an author who left a legacy for his children to follow and for others to read about and enjoy.
Dad lived by a code of honor not often seen and expected the same from his family. Physically, he was as hard as steel, yet would never take the life of an animal unless it was needed to feed his family. He believed everyone should be allowed to take what they needed of nature to survive and care for their family, but never any more. He never believed in hunting or fishing except if you intended to use it to feed yourself or your family.
He would go to the aid of nearly anyone in need and give away nearly anything he had if someone needed it and he or his family didn't need it. When he tore down an old building, he would clean and reuse the lumber and collect and straighten every nail so as not to waste our natural resources.
His book, "Deep Canyon, Heavy Gold", is a romantic journey
through his greatest passion, "The Feather
River Canyon, Plumas County, California during a time when, as he would say, "Men were men and cholesterol had not been invented yet." He tells of a time at Rich
Bar before there was a highway or even a road through the Feather River Canyon. You will enjoy his honesty and his perspective and things that made him laugh and you are sure to shed at least a few tears when you read how cold and cruel life can really be.
If you want to know more about this man, read his book "Deep
Canyon, Heavy Gold" or email me your questions at [email protected] or stop by my web site occasionally as I am updating it as time goes on. It is: Http://www.MostlyFun.Com
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