My best memories of Willy will always be playing guitar and singing. Willy started with the banjo, but soon moved to the tenor guitar - always tuned in G! He made the sound his own. Covering the Drive by Truckers and Freddy Johnson, as well as some originals. One day in 1985, Willy gassed up his grey Dodge pickup, and off we went to see the Grateful Dead in Saratoga Springs. What a show it was! Later on in 2022 we saw the Drive by Truckers at the Stone Pony. Another great show! Too many memories to list with Willy. He was my brother in music, and our shared love for guitars.
May you rest in peace my friend
Dan
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Will was my neighbor in Aberdeen for a number of years before he went to Nebraska. He was kind, and funny and sure did love his music. What a character. Glad our lives crossed paths. Rest in peace Will and condolences to his family.
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Willie was a very special member of our high school class. He made us laugh, was always looking g out for everyone, and was such a creative spirit. I always wished I would see him again some day as an adult but I will remember him as the youthful amazing spirit that he was and will always be. Hod Bless!
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Dear Spooner Family, I am so saddened to hear of Will’s passing. My thoughts and prayers are with you all during this difficult time.
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We will always remember you driving by in your old red truck with a wave and twinkle in your eye! Great neighbor and friend .. always lending a helping hand ..removing baby squirrels from our attic! Installing telephones and light fixtures.. Good Soul ❤️ Love to his family!
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I am saddened to hear of Will's passing. I went to high school with him when he was known as Willy. If you'll allow me I would like to share a few memories that may surprise you.
Willy was a year ahead of me in school. At the time I knew him fairly well. We were in auto shop together. These were the days when high schools had auto shop. He was obsessed with Plymouth Superbirds, a car I never heard of before he introduced me. It made me smile to see the photo on this site of him with the King Richard cutout.
He was a bit "untamed" in high school. Not unruly or ever mean-spirited, but different. For instance, once in math class he pulled a chicken drumstick out of his shirt pocket and had a snack. Like it was a perfectly normal thing to do. I think that's why we connected. I was also a little outside of the mainstream. He was what I have come to call "a free thinker."
When a friend and I got our drivers licenses Willy told us that if we were ever riding past his house we should pick him up and he'd go with us, wherever we were going, just for something to do. I want to say that was near the corner of Telegraph Hill and Bethany Roads. Could that be right? At that age, we would just drive around to drive around. So every time we drove by the house we would honk our horns, but we never stopped. We would look in the mirror to see Willy come running out of the house waving at the joke, and then we'd all laugh about it in school the next day, telling him he was too slow.
But he never seemed slow. In my memory he was always moving. Always animated.
After I graduated I lost touch with Willy. I was surprised to hear he went to college for culinary arts, but it makes perfect sense. The chicken drumstick incident notwithstanding, he was a creative kid and I can totally see that as a good fit for him.
I offer my sincere condolences to his family and I hope maybe these stories give you a peek into his past. These memories can't hold a candle to the memories you made with him but I hope it helps you to know that they are memories that I will keep.
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Ron, I didn't know your brother. If he was anything like you he must have been full of fun and laughter. My condolences to you and your family.
Sincerely,
Mike Giannico
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Will playing his own song
Travis, with his sons Dan on drums and Dylan on bass.
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