Seattle philanthropist Bill Clapp dies at 84
Longtime Seattle philanthropist and community leader Bill Clapp died May 29 surrounded by his family after complications with pneumonia. He was 84.
"Our family, his friends and colleagues will remember Bill for his generous heart, his quiet determination, and his unwavering belief that everyone deserves an opportunity to thrive," said his wife of more than 30 years, Paula, in a statement Monday.
Clapp, who was once honored by the Dalai Lama as an Unsung Hero of Compassion, founded several philanthropic organizations in Seattle and beyond, including Global Washington and the Initiative for Global Development. Together, he and Paula founded Global Partnerships and the Seattle International Foundation. He was the great-grandson of Matthew Norton, who co-founded the Seattle-based company Weyerhaeuser, and half brother to former Washington Gov. Booth Gardner.
According to those who knew and worked for him, Clapp's philosophy was "shrouds have no pockets."
He was widely known in the Pacific Northwest and around the world as a compassionate leader, a friend with a great sense of humor and someone committed to making the world a better place.
"Millions of people's lives have been touched through his vision, his leadership, and his investments around the world," said Akhtar Badshah, a University of Washington professor and longtime friend who worked with him on several international development efforts.
Jennifer Potter, former president and CEO for the Initiative for Global Development and a longtime friend, described Clapp as "very determined" with a big heart.
Potter, also a former vice president for the Goodwill Games, recalled getting a call from Clapp in the 1990s suggesting the closing ceremony focus on children in poverty around the world. She said she was unsure if it would be possible due to budget constraints. But two weeks later, he called to say he found $300,000 to fund the idea.
"That was Bill," Potter said Monday. "He just wouldn't give up when he was determined to do something. He figured out a way to get it done."
In a voicemail shared with The Seattle Times, Muhammad Yunus said Clapp had "done so much to leave the world a better place" than he found it. "You truly made a difference," Yunus said in his final message to his friend. Clapp partnered with Yunus, a Bangladeshi economist and Nobel Peace Prize laureate to support Grameen Bank, a bank founded by Yunus that provides business loans to those in poverty.
Potter said Yunus "really inspired Bill to start Global Partnerships."
Sally Jewell, another longtime friend and colleague, said Clapp's focus throughout their relationship was to help make lasting change in deeply disadvantaged communities by providing them with economic opportunity."
Saddened by rising antagonism toward the U.S. after the events of 9/11 attack, Clapp used the opportunity to "reshape dialogue among business leaders in Seattle.
In partnership with the Gates Foundation, Jewell said Clapp hosted lunches in Seattle for business leaders like herself "to open their eyes to both the challenges and opportunities of economic inequality around the world." That ultimately spawned the Initiative for Global Development, founded by Clapp, Bill Gates Sr., former state Gov. Dan Evans, John Shalikashvili and Bill Ruckelshaus.
Clapp was born in Tacoma on Nov. 9, 1941, to Evelyn Booth Clapp and Norton Clapp, and later attended Bellevue and Lakeside high schools. He started his career as a bush pilot in Alaska, but later returned to Washington to join his family's business, Matthew G. Norton Co. He was an "avid" aviator throughout his life, according to his family.
He is survived by his wife Paula; his son Andrew Clapp and his wife, Edelveis, and their daughters, Hannah and Evelyn; and son Ned Clapp and his wife and their children.
He is also survived by his stepchildren, Shelby Swanson and her husband, Tim; Dean Swanson and his wife, Erxing, and their daughter, Willa; and Sherry Swanson and her husband, Bram. Additional survivors include his siblings, Linda Henry, Chela Henry, Bill Henry and Steve Clapp.
A celebration of life will be announced at a later date, and the family is encouraging gifts in Bill's memory to Global Partnerships and Native Americans in Philanthropy in lieu of flowers.
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This story was originally published June 2, 2026 at 6:42 AM.