‘A devastating loss': WA state Sen. Bill Ramos mourned after dying unexpectedly
Sen. Bill Ramos, D-Issaquah, speaking on the floor on April 16, 2025. (Photo by Jacquelyn Jimenez Romero/Washington State Standard)
Washington state Sen. Bill Ramos died suddenly Saturday while on a trail run near his home in Issaquah. He was 69.
Colleagues remembered Ramos, a Democrat representing Washington's 5th Legislative District, as a kind and dedicated public servant.
'He never let even the most serious matters get too serious,' said Senate Majority Leader Jamie Pedersen, D-Seattle. 'He made you like him the moment you met him.'
'Bill's passing is a devastating loss for our caucus and for our state,' Pedersen added.
Ramos, a member of the Latino Democratic Caucus, served in the U.S. Forest Service, Federal Transit Administration and on the Issaquah City Council before joining the Legislature. He was also the longtime leader of Dance All Night in the Cascade foothills, where he taught ballroom, salsa and swing dancing.
His wife, Sarah Perry, is a King County Council member. She called Ramos her 'dance partner in life.'
'Bill was a mentor and friend to all who asked, quick with a smile and reassuring word, and always willing to drop whatever he was doing to be of service,' Perry said in a statement.
She said he often would run through Issaquah's many trails to 'relieve stress during a busy legislative session' and 'reconnect to the forests and hills he loved that shaped his career.'
Elected to the state House in 2018, he quickly became one of the Legislature's leading voices on transportation issues. In the House, he helped author a nearly $17 billion transportation funding package. And in the Senate, to which he was elected in November, he was one of the lead negotiators over the state's next two-year transportation budget.
Ramos grew up in East Oakland, California. He received his degree in forest sciences from Humboldt State University in California. With the Forest Service, he worked in Washington state, in North Bend and Enumclaw, serving in leadership roles focused on timber and ecosystem management as well as recreation, according to a biography on his legislative website.
From 2005 to 2013, Ramos worked in the Federal Transit Administration as a community planner focused on the Tribal Transit Program. He was also the tribal liaison to the Pacific Northwest's Indigenous communities.
And directly before joining the Legislature, he was an Issaquah City Council member from 2016 to 2019. In the House, Ramos served as the chair of the State Government and Tribal Relations Committee.
House Speaker Laurie Jinkins, D-Tacoma, said Ramos worked on legislation 'to ensure more effective, accountable, and equitable government for all people in Washington.'
'He was also a tireless champion for improving our transportation system, making our communities safer, and protecting Washington's natural resources and outdoor spaces,' Jinkins continued.
Tributes poured in for Ramos over the weekend, including from members of Congress and Washington Gov. Bob Ferguson.
Ferguson remembered last seeing Ramos and Perry a week ago at an event.
'It was a typical conversation with them — big hugs, wide smiles, and lots of laughter,' the governor said. 'I will so miss him.'
The Senate began its floor action Monday morning with a moment of silence in honor of Ramos. His desk was covered with flowers.
He is survived by Perry and two adult children, Max and Maya, among others. His wife said she will share more details on services later.
The King County Council has 30 days to appoint Ramos' replacement from a list of candidates from the local Democratic Party.
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