Bill died April 11, 2021. He was living in Boise, Idaho, at the time. Bill graduated from Utah State University with a degree in forest management and jumped at McCall during the 1959 season. Bill had a 32-year career with the USFS and retired in 1989 as the Forest Service Director National Interagency Fire Center, Boise, Idaho.

He worked with the National Fire Protection Association 1989-97 and the National Association of State Foresters 1996-2000. Bill was a Life Member of the NSA.