William S. Light

William (Bill) Steven Light

Approximately 8:00 pm on the evening of Friday, February 24, 2023, Bill passed away from ALS (amyotrophic lateral sclerosis) at his home in Denver, Colorado. Bill, 71, was lovingly surrounded by family as he made his transition.

Bill Light was born on January 25, 1952, in Glendale, California. He was the third child and first son of Billie Dean and Maxine ‘Irish’ Moore Light. Bill spent his childhood years in Grand Junction and later Arizona. He loved going to Vallecito Lake in the summers with his grandparents, Oscar and Lucinda Moore, where he would help at the boat docks and go fishing with Oscar.

Bill entered the Army on December 10, 1970 and was honorably discharged September 15, 1973. He was stationed with the 328th Radio Research Company in Chu Lai, Vietnam. The radio research units were a cover for the Army Security Agency, which was the Army's signals intelligence branch and Bill would monitor enemy radio wave transmissions to detect unusual activities for intelligence gathering. He was a Bronze Star recipient.

While overseas, Bill increased his drinking and drug use and returned to America with a drug addiction that he would struggle with for more than a decade. Despite that, Bill attended San Jose State University in California and graduated in 1987 with a Bachelor of Science degree in environmental studies from San Jose State University. He became clean of alcohol and drugs on March 1, 1989 and was just short of 34 years clean at his death. He was active in his 12- step recovery group and enjoyed attending the yearly conventions and social gatherings.

Bill returned to Colorado, met and married Dixie Jackson (Wright) in Denver on July 9, 1994. Shortly after their marriage, Bill and Dixie moved to Pueblo, then Wetmore, Colorado where he worked at the Pueblo Fish Hatchery for approximately eight years. Bill tended the growing fish, regulated wells that supplied water to the hatchery and delivered fish into lakes and rivers throughout the state. Bill returned to

Denver in 2003 and finished his Colorado state service career at the Denver Women's Correctional Facility as a janitorial vocational instructor. He was especially pleased that several of his students started their own companies upon leaving prison. Bill retired from state service in 2014 and worked between Denver and Pueblo on renovating a rental unit and remodeling an old Pueblo Victorian home for resale the last several years of his life.

Bill loved life. Helping others and hanging out with friends and family was paramount to Bill. He enjoyed being in nature, riding motorcycles, playing golf with all his sons and numerous friends, skiing with son, Steven and friend Tim. He was a voracious reader; science fiction being his favorite genre. Bill was a bread maker and liked to experiment with different ingredients and types of bread. He took pleasure in cooking with family members and by himself. Bill was curious by nature and welcomed trying out new things and traveling.

Bill is survived by his wife, son Steven, (Bobbi), stepsons Ian and Evan Jackson, granddaughter Sade Aurora Light; goddaughter Satori Bahus-Meyer and his nieces, nephews, cousins and friends. He was preceded in death by his parents, his two older sisters, Susan Maria Light and Sandra Teresa Light Schaefer. 

The family would like to extend deepest thanks to: Neurologist, Dr. Maryam Tahmasbi Sohi for her empathy and professionalism and the entire Spinal Cord Injury and Home Based Primary Care teams at the Rocky Mountain Regional VA Medical Center. Comfort Keepers of Denver Caregivers The Denver Hospice.

A committal service will be held Friday, March 17, 2023 at 10:30 am at Fort Logan National Cemetery, 3698 S. Sheridan Blvd., Denver, Colorado 80235, Staging area B, followed by a celebration of life at 11:30 am at First Spiritual Science Church of Denver, 3375 S. Dahlia St., Denver, CO 80222. Reception to follow.

Memorials may be made to ALS Association Rocky Mountain Chapter 10855 Dover St Ste 500 Westminster, CO 80021 in Bills name.

Condolences can be left by signing the guestbook