William Francis Theiss

William "Bill" Francis Theiss, a long-time resident of Live Oak, CA, passed away on Saturday morning, October 4, 2025, at the age of 75.

Bill was born on December 7, 1949, in Holyoke, MA. As one of eleven children in a military family, Bill started school in Alaska, graduated from Brentwood High School in New York, and graduated from the University of California, Berkeley with a degree in Plant Genetics.

He was a supervisor at Educational Testing Service for many years. He became an instructor at various technical and computer schools, ending with American River College.

Bill's many talents led him to be the handyman/gardener at Tropicana Gardens near the University of California, Santa Barbara, where he met the love of his life, Janet Dewey.

Bill always said that the day he met Janet, he knew that he would marry her. After a courtship involving long bus trips, dates at the laundromat and a close miss with a Las Vegas wedding chapel, they married on June 27, 1976, in Gridley, CA.

Bill and Janet lived in the Bay Area, and ultimately relocated to Live Oak, CA, to be near family.

Bill enjoyed all forms of gardening and was a prize-winning orchid grower, a member of the San Francisco Orchid Society, and the Sutter Buttes Garden Club, and was a Master Gardener.

He also loved sharing his love of science fiction, comics, animals, and critters with everyone.

Bill is preceded in death by his loving wife, Janet; son, Martin Michael Theiss; parents, Michael and Theresa Theiss; and brother, Albert Theiss.

He is survived by his brothers, Michael (Barbara), John (Bonnie), James (Eileen), Paul (Nadia), and Martin (Donna) Theiss; his sisters, Suzanna (Peter) Novak, Theresa (Joseph) Clark, Frieda Clayton, and Catherine (Louie) Gonzalez; brothers-in-law, Martin Dewey, and Bruce (Julie) Dewey; many loving nieces and nephews; great nieces; great nephews; and godchildren.

Visitation will take place on Tuesday, October 21, 2025, between 4 PM and 6 PM, with a Rosary from 6 PM to 7 PM, at Ullrey Memorial Chapel, 817 Almond Street, Yuba City, CA 95991.

The Mass of the Resurrection will be on Wednesday, October 22, 2025, at 11 AM at St. Isidore Catholic Church, 222 Clark Avenue, Yuba City, CA 95991. A reception will follow the Mass.

Donations may be made to the Sutter Buttes Garden Club, the San Francisco Orchid Society or St. Isidore Catholic Church.

Bill's kindness and fascination with life and plants will be deeply missed by all who knew and loved him.