In Memoriam:
Bill Washington

by / on behalf of Universal House of Justice and National Spiritual Assembly of the Baha'is of Australia

Dear Bahá’í Friend,

The Universal House of Justice was saddened to learn from your email letter of 28 October 2014 of the passing of Mr. William Washington, devoted servant of the Blessed Beauty. His many decades of steadfast service to the Cause of God, including as an international pioneer and a Deputy Trustee of Ḥuqúqu’lláh in Australia, are recalled with warm admiration. The House of Justice extends ... its loving sympathy for the loss you have sustained and assures you of its supplications at the Sacred Threshold for the progress of his noble soul throughout the divine realms. Prayers will also be offered for the comfort and solace of your hearts in your bereavement.

With loving Bahá’í greetings,
Department of the Secretariat

From: National Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá'ís of Australia
Subject: The passing of Mr Bill Washington
Date: 10 November 2014 [7 Qudrat 171 B.E.]
To: All Local Spiritual Assemblies in Tasmania, South-Eastern Australia, ...

Dear Bahá'í friends,

Please find attached, a loving tribute from the National Spiritual Assembly marking the passing of stalwart servant of the Cause, Mr Bill Washington, honouring his contribution to the development of the Australian Bahá'í community.

With loving Bahá'í greetings, ...

The National Spiritual Assembly was deeply saddened to learn that ... stalwart member of the Australia Bahá'í community, Mr William Alan Washington has winged his flight to the Abha Kingdom, and wants you to know that prayers will be supplicated for the progress of his radiant soul...

The National Assembly calls to mind Bill's many contributions to the development of the Faith in the Pacific during this long life lived in tireless service to his beloved Cause since 1955 when he embraced the faith. Bill will ever be remembered as an irrepressible teacher whose burning desire to support the goals of the Ten Year Crusade took him abroad to places such as New Caledonia, New Hebrides and Japan where he taught the Faith tirelessly and assisted in establishing communities wherever his travels took him.

Blessed with the opportunity to attain the presence of the Beloved Guardian on his Pilgrimage, Bill courageously arose, at the encouragement of the Guardian, in the prime of his life, to pioneer to Darwin to teach the indigenous people in support of the Ten Year Crusade. For over a decade, Bill and a small band of Bahá'ís in Darwin lovingly shared the healing message of Bahá'u'lláh with many who embraced the Faith, until the first Local Assembly of Darwin was established in 1963.

Bill's contributions extended across all aspects of Bahá'í administration too numerous to mention. He served with distinction in both elected and appointed capacities. This National Assembly remembers Bill's important contributions to the progress and development of the Tasmanian Bahá'í community with gratitude and is indebted for his assistance in digitizing archival audio recordings of priceless historic talks, including some given by mother Dunn, as recorded by hand of the Cause of God, Collis Featherstone, enabling these treasures to be available to inspire generation to come both in Australia and at the Bahá'í world Centre, where copies of the materials are now stored for posterity.

Our dear Bill is basking in the light of reunion with his Beloved. He will even be remembered by the multitudes he touched, young and old, during his life of selfless service, by his gentle demeanour, his humility, and his irrepressible spirit...

With loving Bahá'í greetings,
National Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá'ís of Australia