Bill, 82, died February 21, 2011, in Butte, Montana. He was born March 21, 1928, in Missoula, and attended St. Joseph's Boarding School and St. Anthony's Grade School. He graduated from Missoula County High School in 1947

He attended the University of Montana in his native Missoula, after jumping there in 1946-48. Bill started his work in fire safety as a lookout when he was 15 years old. He hiked to Mann Gulch on a guided tour for the 50th anniversary of the 1949 disaster that killed 13 firefighters, including several of his friends.

Bill had a career in sales for more than 50 years, retiring at 70.