Bill was born and raised in Long Beach, CA, bur fell in love with Colorado during the years he studied here at CSU, where he earned his B.S. in Biology.  After leaving the state to teach high school for a few years in Nebraska and California, he returned to the rural Brighton/Fort Lupton area, where he remained for the past 38 years.  Beginning as a science teacher at Northglenn, he later earned a Masters in Counseling, and served in the Northglenn schools for 22 years before retiring to become a "gentleman farmer"...or, as one friend put it, a hick.

The "farm" included not only extensive gardens and and an assortment of good-natured dogs, but horses, sheep, chickens, goats and whatever other odd 4 legged creatures happened to pass through the property.  There are endless stories about Bill's critters, but one of everyone's favorites is that of Little Orphan Nanny, the snaggle-toothed baby goat that was rescued in a nick of time from an extremely difficult and dangerous delivery.  The Nanny took up residence in a cozy nestle living room stove: and for weeks, Bill's calendar was dictated by Nanny's bottle feeding schedule, where she snuggled into Bill's lap in total contentment.  It came as quite a shock to Nanny-and to daddy Bill!-when both eventually had to come to terms with her being a goat.

Aside from farm, family, and friendships, Bill's greatest passion was goose and duck hunting, with dove  hunting in a close second.  Unless, of course, it was fishing season.  Vacations and social plans were scheduled around opening days of the various seasons, when all else was briefly but summarily put on hold.  When his famous dinner parties resumed as usual, guests were treated to sumptuous repast of smoked duck chili soup, braised venison chops, grilled Alaskan salmon with fennel., and breast of pheasant in mushroom sauce.  The fowl delicacies were always served, however, with stern reminders to feel around for a stray buckshot before biting down too hard.

Bill was an outdoorsman through and through, with a deep respect for both the animals and the land that supported them. He took great satisfaction of converting several large plots of barren acreage into habitat sanctuaries for wildlife by planting tree rows, plumb thickets, and native Colorado grasses.  Many of his friends will remember the urgently organized "tree planting parties" following the shipments of a thousand or so thirsty saplings.  It was with great pride and pleasure that he not only nurtured the land, but that he had pheasant, duck and goose hunting properties and experiences to share with his hunter/gather friends

Bill was not only an outdoorsman and a fabulous cook, but a (very) amateur athlete.  Despite his enthusiastic presence on the volleyball court, there is a reason why you haven't heard a great deal about his amazing exploits there.  He dabbled in other outdoor sports as well, and was even known on occasion for laboriously turning the Back 40 into the Back 9.  If you can imagine active lumpy pasture-land as a manicured green, then you'll probably have no difficulty imagining some of the particular and unique, and often aromatic, hazards encountered thereupon

Although Bill was a homebody at heart, you couldn't keep the boy down on the farm.  Maybe he got the bug when he was a college boy studying with University of the Seven Seas.  But when he and Randy weren't actually on the move, they always had travel plans in the works.  Maybe only to California to his his family, or to Kansas to see Randy's family (detouring, of course, for pheasant hunting...but that goes without saying).  But usually much farther a field, visiting far flung friends, fishing for salmon and halibut with Captain Kent in Alaska, or staking our favorite breakfast spots in Cabo and Puerto Vallarta.

Bill is survived by his partner of 33 years, Randy Beineke, of Fort Lupton: his sister, Margie (Jon) Masterson of Long Beach:  His brother, Dick (Jo) of Colorado Springs, five nieces: Laura, Jennifer, Karen, Wendy, and Mary, whom he adored; seven great nieces and nephews to whom he was devoted (some of whom referred to him as "Gruncle Bill"); Randy's family; and many, many friends, neighbors, and hunting buddies.

Also, Bill always considered as "family" the tow exchange students he and Randy hosted.  Stine, from Norway, is now a junior at the University of Colorado-=Boulder.  Matheus, from Brazil, is just completing a work program at Disney's Magic Kingdom in Orlando, FL.

We'll all miss Bill: there's so much that he took from us when he left us.  We'll miss his brilliant blue eyes and the little twinkle that suggested he saw just a little mit more that we did.  We'll miss his constant smile that spoke of his optimism, tolerance, compassion, and insistence on seeing the best in all ofus while excusing and ignoring our warts.  We'll miss that sense of humor marked by wry wit and clever word play. (admit it: we'll even miss groaning and rolling our eyes at some of those inevitable puns, double entendres, and droll one-liners.)  Although we can't begin to list all the things we'll miss, one thing is certain: we won't forget you, Bill

Bill is preceded in death by his parents, Dr Richard and Beverly Matlock, and his brother Bob>