William Joseph “Jay” Fadness, 40, of 1038 Front St., Chippewa Falls, passed away Tuesday, Feb. 17, 2009, at his home under the care of St. Joseph’s Hospice.

He was born Feb. 22, 1968, in Prairie du Chien, the son of Karen L. (Bowen) and William Joseph “Billy” Culligan. He was adopted by Peter Fadness in 1975. He was raised in Eau Claire where he graduated from Eau Claire Memorial High School in 1986.

Jay joined the U.S. Marine Corps and served in the Persian Gulf during Desert Shield and Desert Storm. He was honorably discharged at Camp Pendleton, San Diego, Calif., in May 1993. He then resided in California where he was employed as an inventory specialist for RGIS Inventory Service in California. In 1995, he relocated to Cottage Grove, Minn., to be closer to his family. He continued to work for RGIS in Minnesota and North Carolina until returning to Chippewa Falls in December 2006.

He excitedly became a father to Jordan Lee Fadness on May 22, 1997. He was an excellent dad and looked forward to doing many things with Jordan including camping, cooking and following her many soccer games. He was a life long Green Bay Packer fan and almost never missed a game, traveling to see many of them. He enjoyed fishing and camping especially with his Grandpa Bowen and loved to travel, a favorite destination was Las Vegas.

Survivors include: his daughter Jordan Fadness of Mooresville, N.C.; his mother Karen (Bob Bruyette) Fadness of Chippewa Falls; his father Billy (Mary) Culligan of Bloomington; brother Ben Fadness of Altoona; sister Angie Fadness of Madison; grandmother Florence Bowen of Mount Hope; uncle LaVern (Lois) Bowen of Lancaster; aunt Rose (Rick) Gilbert of Des Moines, Iowa; uncle John (Lois) Fadness of Chippewa Falls; two step-brothers, Robert Cory and Michael J. Culligan both of Lom Poc, Calif.; special family friends, April Downs and Mark and Kerry Kohlhepp; several cousins; and many friends.

He was preceded in death by: his father Peter Fadness; maternal grandfather Lawrence Bowen; and paternal grandparents, Andrew and Elva Fadness.

A funeral service will be held at 6 p.m., Friday, Feb. 20 at Pederson-Volker Funeral Chapel, Chippewa Falls, with Rev. Fr. Robert Hoekstra of St. Joseph’s Hospice officiating.

Friends may call from 4 p.m. until the time of service Friday at the funeral chapel.

In lieu of flowers donations can be made in Jay’s memory to St. Joseph’s Hospice.

Pederson-Volker Funeral Chapel, Chippewa Falls, is serving the family