Bill's passing in November 2016 was a real shocker to me. We had connected through Classmates.com earlier in 2016 (April) and began emailing. I could almost hear his voice in the first email greeting--"Well hello Mr. Elliott, how in the heck are you?" He also said in that email, "Isn't it kewl being retired? Man, I've gotten really good at it. Takes some practice and then you'll come around." I was away, when he called my house one day (DARN!). He told my wife, "No, let it be a surprise. I'll call again later." Bill and I worked at Raychem Corporation for many years, in the warehouse. Man, those were fun times, even for working. Bill had all these Gary Larson "Far Side" cartoon panels taped to a warehouse support beam, nearly from the floor to the ceiling. I will never forget we laughed until we cried at one particular panel of two Indians, one with a fake arrow through his head, and the one Indian says, "Hey Running Bear. That's not real!" All day as we crossed paths working we'd say, "That's not real," and laugh our butts off. On a more serious note, we were talking about suicide one day. I told Bill that sometimes I feel weak enough to do that. He said, "Oh no man! I wanna hang around to see how it all comes out!" That was so profound to me, that it changed my thinking. That was one thing I wantd to tell him, had we talked on the phone. Sadly, now I can't. Bill was that kind of funny, kind and yet serious kind of guy. Man, I'd love to give him a hug now.
Richard Elliott
Bill's passing in November 2016 was a real shocker to me. We had connected through Classmates.com earlier in 2016 (April) and began emailing. I could almost hear his voice in the first email greeting--"Well hello Mr. Elliott, how in the heck are you?" He also said in that email, "Isn't it kewl being retired? Man, I've gotten really good at it. Takes some practice and then you'll come around." I was away, when he called my house one day (DARN!). He told my wife, "No, let it be a surprise. I'll call again later." Bill and I worked at Raychem Corporation for many years, in the warehouse. Man, those were fun times, even for working. Bill had all these Gary Larson "Far Side" cartoon panels taped to a warehouse support beam, nearly from the floor to the ceiling. I will never forget we laughed until we cried at one particular panel of two Indians, one with a fake arrow through his head, and the one Indian says, "Hey Running Bear. That's not real!" All day as we crossed paths working we'd say, "That's not real," and laugh our butts off. On a more serious note, we were talking about suicide one day. I told Bill that sometimes I feel weak enough to do that. He said, "Oh no man! I wanna hang around to see how it all comes out!" That was so profound to me, that it changed my thinking. That was one thing I wantd to tell him, had we talked on the phone. Sadly, now I can't. Bill was that kind of funny, kind and yet serious kind of guy. Man, I'd love to give him a hug now.