Bill Wachs

1931 - 2014

Estes Park resident Bill Wachs died suddenly Saturday February 22, 2014. He was 82 years old. William Arnold Wachs was born April 6, 1931 in Mosinee, WI. His parents were Arnold & Fern (Knoll) Wachs. Bill developed a lifelong love of football (and the Green Bay Packers) playing Linebacker and Center for the Mosinee High School football team. He graduated from the University of Wisconsin at Madison with a Bachelor's in Business Administration in 1953. On June 20, 1953 he married Alta Schmidt in Wisconsin Rapids, WI. He joined the Army Corps of Engineers and traveled widely in the Army from 1953 through 1955, including some time in Korea.
After the Army, Bill went to work in sales, primarily computer sales for IBM, working there for 29 years. His work took him to Alabama, Louisiana, Wisconsin, New Jersey, Missouri, Connecticut, finally settling in Boulder. After retiring from IBM, Bill also worked for UCAR in Boulder.
Bill was a tireless volunteer. He spent many years at DIA as a volunteer for Travelers' Aid. He enjoyed working at and running races for Rocky Mountain Vintage Racing, where he served on the Board of Directors. Bill and Alta were volunteers for the Bolder Boulder for over 25 years. His work for his local water system led to a term as the President of the Colorado Rural Water Association.
Bill and Alta retired to Estes Park, CO where they were members of Shepherd of the Mountains Lutheran Church. Bill was a member of the Rotary Club of Estes Park, serving for years on the Annual Duck Race Committee, where he earned his favorite title, "Big Duck." He served the Estes Park Medical Center both on the Foundation Board and Medical Center Board. He was also on the Estes Park Music Festival Board. He was very involved in refurbishing the historic Fall River Hydroplant.
Bill loved the mountains, volunteering for years at the Rocky Mountain National Park in the Visitor's Center. He was a great tour guide for RMNP and eventually became a full park ranger.
Bill is survived by his wife Alta of Estes Park, sons Arnold and wife Gayle of Fort Collins, CO, Alan and wife Julie of Firestone, CO, daughter Amy and her husband Timothy Schedl of St. Louis, MO and numerous grandchildren. A memorial service to celebrate Bill's life will be held at Shepherd of the Mountains Church on Wednesday, February 26, 2014, at 11 a.m., with a lunch to follow.
Memorial contributions, in lieu of flowers, may be made to the Estes Park Medical Center Foundation or Shepherd of the Mountains Church in care of Allnutt Funeral Service 1302 Graves Ave. Estes Park, CO 80517. See www.allnutt.com to send a message to Bill's family.