Bill was such a huge personality.  There wasn’t a time we spoke that he didn’t make me laugh.  Even after his recent hospitalization he didn’t hesitate to throughout his jokes with me.  Laughter is so good for the soul.  He is truly missed and I’m so glad to have known him.

Sincerely,

Christine Hubler

THIS IS FROM Dorothy Skidmore, Bill's MIL.

I knew Bill for over 55 years and had many wonderful memories but will just touch on two. When I needed Gallbladder surgery Julie was working so Bill volunteered to come to Clovis to be my nurse. He took me to the hospital where I volunteered at 6: AM and had all the nurses in stitches as only Bill could! Who ever heard of a son-in-law taking care of his mother-in-law, He picked me up at 5:PM. I went to bed and Bill had put a table by my bed with a glass of water and a box of kleenex on it as I recall. When I shuffled to the kitchen next morning, Bill was reading the paper and drinking a cup of coffee. I asked him what could I get him for breakfast, and, looking at me told me to sit down and what could he get me for breakfast! One of my friends called to see how I was doing and Bill told them to hold on so he could check as I was out under the hood of his car checking his oil. That was Bill!!

And...

Bill 's birthday was June 7th and Julie's was Feb 20th and he loved to tell everyone tat Julie was older than him, even though it was less that four months! I would always send him a card and call him on his birthday and sing "Happy birthday to you" etc. and gave him his favorite pie--Banana Cream-made from scratch. The only thing missing was the check for $1,500 that he expected to be in with his card and he let me know. nderful Bill was a wonderful husband, father, grandfather, son-in-law, brother-in-law and friend. 

Rest in peace, my son. Grandma--GG--TOBX (The Old Battle Ax).

I got to know Bill when Julie, Wendy, Tracy and I along with my daughter, Michele,

were in Indian Maidens together in 1980. Our friendship grew over the years, and we

started going on cruise ships together with my husband, Corry, and friends, Myra

and Claude Fullerton. We cruised to many places together:  Alaska, Quebec and

the New England states, Ireland, Scotland, and England. My favorite cruise was to

all the islands of Hawaii. We got to see Julie and Bill's first apartment on Oahu,

and tried to find a food truck that Bill had seen on "Diners Drive-Ins and Dives". Never

found the food truck but had a fun adventure trying to find it. Bill's love

of the Doo Wop music of the 50 and 60's was also my favorite's. We had a

great time going to see the "The Jersey Boys" together. He was the best "Papo"

to his grandchildren, Austin, Grant, Sienna, and William. I remember him in

his Superman T-shirt chasing the grandkids through the house. Loved hearing

his jokes and will miss getting an email from him with some new joke he had heard.

He was a special guy, and will be deeply missed by all who knew him. I can

picture him in heaven singing his favorite show tunes. I am glad I have fun memories

to remember of him.   Love you, Bill.     --Linda DenOuden 

To Julie, Wendy, Tracy and the entire Family,

It all began in the Spring of 1969, when Claude and Bill met in the CQ room at McClellan Air Force Base. They were both there to play cards. It didn’t take long when one of them turned to the other and said “You look familiar; how do I know you?” (Claude had played basketball for Birmingham High School. Bill had played basketball for Canoga Park High School. )

Soon after the men met, I was introduced to Julie and that was the beginning of a long friendship.

Throughout the years, as our families grew, we enjoyed time at the ocean, gatherings at parks, playing games, attending weddings, baby showers, birthday parties and anniversaries. Always great memories!!

After retiring, we were able to experience ocean cruising to Hawaii, Alaska and the Panama Canal with Bill and Julie. Bill’s sense of humor is what I will miss most. He could always make us laugh. His passion for the theater, his creativity, his ability to make people feel special are what drew people to him. What a gift he had.

Bill, we will miss you greatly. Watch over us all, my friend.

Always with love,

Myra and Claude

A letter to my “number one fan”,

Papo, you are my biggest inspiration. The most humble, kind, selfless, and fun person I’ve ever met. My first ever role model. You were the first person to ever take me to a musical (look what you started), and the first one to give me flowers after every show. I never would have found theater without you.

Every time I saw you, you were singing show tunes or watching some sort of musical. In fact, last time I saw you you had just found out my school was doing Music Man, and you insisted on playing me a bootlegged version of Hugh Jackman’s performance of “Marian the Librarian “.

      I’ll never forget the table manners song, or Steve the fly who lives in the trash cans on the side of you house. I’ll never forget the fireman show at Lego land or you turning Nickels (or quarter, as you liked to call him) into “super dog”. I’ll never forget our acting skits or the ungodly amount of YouTube videos Will and I forced you watch. I’ll never forget being the clerk at your in house grocery store and the amount of drama caused by the crazy lady from the kitchen whenever she’d come in claiming you “took her wallet”. I’ll never forget Nemo or Monkey or how scared you’d get when me and will would try to become stunt artists on your carpet. I’ll never forget you introducing me to the Beatles and Abba or my turquoise Elvis Presley watch you gave me after my 50s themed choir show. I never had the heart to tell you I lost it a week later. I won’t forget the magic tricks or you teaching me an Sarah ‘Sweet Caroline, or us arguing about the true lead singer of Fleetwood Mac (it’s Stevie, obviously). I’ll never forget the time you gave me a “signed” Shawn Mendez picture. That thing stayed on my wall until Tom Holland came around and became my new celebrity crush, and then Timotheé Chalamet, all of whom we both had extensive knowledge about. I’ll never forget watching Thomas the train in your room or Polar Express every Christmas. I still play the guitar you got me every day. I won’t forget that you kept all my paintings m the wall above your desk. I won’t forget discussing Soirse Ronan’s videography with you or looking through all of you pictures from the air force (I still have every one). I have every happy birthday voice memo you ever sent to me saved to my phone. I still have the little blue and pink fish keychain you called the “key to your heart”. Both it’s eyes have fallen off but I’ll never forget when you told me you had passed it from Austin and Grant to me, and then someday you’d give it to Will. I’m not sure if you forgot, but it never got to him. Guess that was just another perk of being your “favorite granddaughter”.

    Papo, You went  to every single one of my shows until you couldn’t anymore. You always yelled my name at the end, and no matter how small the role, you told me every time that I “stole the show”. I’ll never be able to watch Heidi ever again without hearing you singing “when at table”.

I know ever since you couldn’t any more, all you wanted was to see me in a show. “Videos just aren’t the same” you’d say. So I know that every show this week I’ll be able to look out and see you in the audience. You’ll finally be able to see me preform again. And even though I don’t have a lead, you’ll still be proud because you’d always remind me, “there’s no such thing as small characters, Sienna, only small actors”.

I know you’ll be with me in every show or commercial or musical I’ll ever do, cheering me on from the side.

I’ll miss you papo, and I’ll never forget the support you gave me to keep trying even when I felt like I was never going to be any good. I know you gave up acting for your family. But I’ll never give it up. I’ll make it some day, I promise.

love you lots,

Sienna