William Henry "Bill" Gates is a retired American attorney and philanthropist and author of the book Showing Up for Life: Thoughts on the Gifts of a Lifetime.
Background
Gates was born in Bremerton, Washington, to William Henry Gates I or Senior (Bremerton, Washington, March 14, 1891 – Bremerton, Washington, August 17, 1969), and wife (married in Tacoma, Washington, July 14, 1913) Lillian Elizabeth Rice (Bremerton, Washington, April 23, 1891 – Bremerton, Washington, November 27, 1966).
Education
He attended the University of Washington (UW) under the G.I. Bill, where he earned a Bachelor of Arts in 1949 and a law degree in 1950.
Career
After high school he enlisted in the United States Army, changing his name to William Gates, Junior. to avoid the appearance of elitism. He fought in World World War II and was honorably discharged in November 1946. While at Washington he joined the Chi Psi Fraternity.
He practiced law until 1998, primarily with the law firm which he co-founded as Shidler & King in 1964, later known as Preston Gates & Ellis Limited Liability Partnership. The firm was merged into the firm now known as K&L Gates, although Bill Gates, Senior is not affiliated with the firm.
Gates also served on the board of Planned Parenthood.
In 1998, Gates retired from PGE. He has served as a director for Costco Wholesale, a bulk retail corporation, since 2003. He is also a founding co-chair of the Pacific Health Summit. He has adopted the suffix "Senior" to distinguish himself from his more famous son.
Gates is co-author, with Chuck Collins, of the book Wealth and Our Commonwealth: Why America Should Tax Accumulated Fortunes, a defense of the policies promoted by the estate tax
They had three children: Kristianne, Bill, and Libby. In 1996 Gates married Mimi Gardner Gates, who was the director of the Seattle Art Museum.
World Justice Project William H. Gates, Senior serves as an Honorary Company-Chair for the World Justice Project. The World Justice Project works to lead a global, multidisciplinary effort to strengthen the Rule of Law for the development of communities of opportunity and equity.