Bill died on April 1, 2008, in Leavenworth, KS. He was born in Akron, Ohio, on September 11, 1938. He graduated from Mogadore High School, received his Bachelors and Masters degrees from Kent State University, and earned his Fifth Year Specialist Degree from the University of Idaho in Moscow. He spent most of his career in education, first as a teacher and then as a primary and secondary school principal. He spent summers in the West during his high school years, traveling from Ohio to work for the Washington State Department of Forestry. He would live and work all over the West for the next 50 years, in Montana, Idaho, Colorado, New Mexico, Alaska and Washington. He instilled his spirit of adventure in his children, who both served in the Army.

Bill treasured his memories of the years he spent smokejumping. He jumped with the first crew in Alaska. He also spent seasons in Silver City and Redding. He became involved in the smokejumping community again after he retired from education, editing for Smokejumper Magazine for several years.