In Loving Memory of Ronald Bill Halterman

Bill was born in Albany, California, on May 24, 1943, and was raised in the Bay Area. During his senior year of high school, his family moved to Guam, where he discovered his love of snorkeling and the ocean.

After graduating, Bill attended Humboldt State, majoring in Forestry. He went on to work for a propane company in Arcata, California, where he met the love of his life, Jean. They married and spent 61 wonderful years together. Their children, Laurie and Scott, were born during those years in Arcata.

The family later moved to Willow Creek, California, along the Trinity River, where Bill became a volunteer firefighter. His adventurous spirit and love of the outdoors continued to shape his life. In Oroville, California, he earned his private pilot’s license—another accomplishment that opened the door to many more adventures.

Bill and his family eventually headed north to Anchorage, Alaska, where he worked in business development for a propane company serving communities throughout the state. Alaska became another place where Bill’s ingenuity and independent spirit could flourish. He built an off-grid cabin on Flathorn Lake, milling his own lumber and hauling the rest of the materials and supplies by airplane or snowmobile. Some of his happiest times were spent there with his grandchildren, sharing the beauty and adventure of Alaska with them.

After retiring, Bill and Jeanie moved to Pahoa, Hawaii. There, he returned to his love of the ocean, enjoying snorkeling and kayaking. He also developed a talent for woodturning, creating beautiful wooden bowls from local tropical trees. His work was sold through galleries on the Big Island, allowing him to share a little piece of Hawaii with others.

Bill never lost his love of adventure. Each year, he would ship his motorcycle to the mainland and tour the western states. During one of those journeys, he discovered Ridgway, Colorado. He fell in love with its beautiful scenery, friendly people, and the dream of having a log home there. Eventually, that dream became a reality.

Bill lived a life filled with adventure, hard work, creativity, and, most importantly, family. He was a husband, father, grandfather, great-grandfather, brother, uncle, and friend who leaves behind a lifetime of stories and memories.

Bill is survived by his wife, Jeanie; his daughter, Laurie Reed, and her husband, Tom; his son, Scott Halterman, and his wife, Gina; his grandchildren Jennifer, Ashley, Courtney,

Taylyn, Trace, and Shane; six great-grandchildren; his sister, Karen, and her husband, Hal; two nieces and their spouses and children.

Bill passed away on September 25, 2026.

He will be deeply missed by his family and friends, and especially by all those who were fortunate enough to share a beer, a story, or a good laugh with him at “the Boy.”

Bill lived life on his own terms—with curiosity, courage, a love of the outdoors, and an enduring devotion to the people he loved. His adventures may have come to an end, but the memories he created will live on in all who knew him.