I first met Bill in the Rehabilitation Hospital of the Pacific (1974), Hawaii. He was my room mate as the staff pair us together because we both had the same challenges (Guillian-Barre syndrome) and we could share our concerns as we both move towards recovery.He was older by 15 years so I listen to his experiences, wisdom, and living life now attitude. I will never forget his many stories about sailing the South Pacific down to New Zealand and island hopping to the Cook islands, Marquesias, islands of Tahiti and back to Hawaii. The look in his eyes reflected his love for sailing whenever the subject came up. I remember a funny time at the hospital when we were given voting ballots for Hawaii and the funny thing is that we always made humor of politicians prior to election time. We agreed that the 2 dominant political parties did not offer a viable candidate that was worth voting for ( same story today). But there was a candidate. He was from the island of Molokai and a advocate of Marijuana comming from the Green party. His platform was for the people, not the party.So instead of wasting our votes, guess who we voted for.?? We shared many laughs, thoughts and aspirations and I nevergot bored. For some reason, I have been thinking of Bill these past several weeks until something led me to todays obituary section. Thanks Bill for sharing your lifes experiences with me in times of our recovery while in the hospital. I am forever grateful for your freindship........Alben Aduca    

Bill rode his motorcycle everywhere and almost always wore a baseball cap.  The wind snatched away so many hats as he rode that every time his friends Bruce and LeRoy saw a hat lying in the street, they would look at each other and say, "Bill was here".   Last week, we were at our favorite beach and we reminisced about Bill and his many lost hats.  As we were sitting there enjoying our day, a green hat washed up on the shoreline.  Bruce went to retrieve it, turned it over and the message on the hat was "Blessed".  We agree -  we were blessed to have been a part of Bill's life.
LeRoy & Cathy, Bruce & Susan 

Had a photo of the "old tub," as Bill called her, while it was in dry dock the last time. That boat was as big a part of Bill's identity as his motorcycle with sidecar and the old truck. Even after Bill moved to the mainland, we still refer to the Ala Wai boat harbor and the place the Patsy Jean was berthed as "Bill's Place".

Judy Kibbey met Bill in 2004 at an MS conference in Hawaiii. She saw his leg braces and brought him a plate of food. He thought she was a nurse. She offered her home to him should he ever decide to come to the mainland. They stayed in touch and he took her up on her offer a decade later. 

Judy noted that he died on Presidents' Day weekend so he has a special suite in heaven. 

On my trip to Hawaii, Uncle Bill took me to all of the tourist attractions there were to see. He also took me out sailing three times. On the first trip sailing he asked me to role up a rope. I grabbed the rope and started wrapping it around my arm, he quickly let me know that I wasn't doing it right. He proceded to show me the proper way to role up a rope. Almost thirty years later, I can not role up a garden hose, extention cord, or rope without thinking about Uncle Bill. Yes I do it the right way. 

I had the pleasure of staying on the boat with him on one of my visits (1998 or 1999?).  We hardly slept at night as he would share stories of his adventures.  "Oh, well, there's another story..."  I LOVED every minute of it.  Knowing my memory would fail I tried to write them down while I went to do laundry.  Shortly after starting writing he came walking in, sat down and said, "Well, here's another story."  I so wish I had written them now.  I do not, however, regret sitting down and enjoying him and listening to him.  Aloha, Uncle Bill.  With all my heart, "Aloha." (he shared during his time here in Colorado that he was never taught to say "I love you" so it was hard for him but he hoped that when he said "Aloha" I knew what he meant.)

Uncle Bill treated all 6 of his nieces and nephews to a trip to Hawaii as a graduation present. Wow! It made a lasting impression on the type of Aunt I wanted to be. I got to go with my cousins Julie and Chuck (Chas) in 1985. He treated us to the full tour. The first few days he showed us the Polynesian Cultural Center, the other side of the island, Pearl Harbor and Hanama Bay. We cruised around the island in his Dodge pickup (4 people with room for the floor shifter getting it just right). He shared his snorkeling gear and slept in the camper instead of walking though the other exhibits for the hundredth time. He was a gracious host! He also took us sailing and we had our first taste of guava cake, bread fruit, poi and Zippy's fast food. He showed us how to 'hang loose' and let us Midwestern kids soak up the sun. Picture is of Chas and I on the Patsy Jean. Not pictured is Captain Uncle Bill and puking off the back my cousin Julie. (Oh to be able to wear a bikini again! Oh how Uncle Bill over to sail and share his love of the ocean and the green flash.)

In 1986 I saved money to go back with some friends from high school and he did the full tour again.

Uncle Bill would tell the story of he and his brother (my dad) loading up the horses (Dolly & Don) and heading to school in the middle of a blizzard. They got to school (about 1.5 miles as the crow flies) and discovered everyone else was wiser than they were and stayed home. 'I can't believe it.'