William Vasconi

WILLIAM VASCONI William "Bill" L. Vasconi, 65, of Las Vegas, passed away Feb. 13, 2008. He was born in Sharon, Pa., March 13, 1942, and resided in Las Vegas for the past 40 years. Bill left a legacy of true friendship, wildlife preservation, community service and service to his country. He leaves this legacy to his wife, of 25 years, Donna; as well as, to his children, Lynne and Dennis Jantz, Rick and Lisa Sawin, and Kimberly and Mike Rosenthal; his brother, George and wife, Barb, and their family; as well as, his "adopted" son, Jeff Westover. Bill was very proud of his seven grandchildren, Taylor, Allison, Audrie, Brad, Zachery, Ben and Lauren, and worked hard to serve as a good example for them. His parents, Leroy and Mary Vasconi preceded him in death. Bill served as a paratrooper in the U.S. Army 101st Airborne from 1961 to 1967, where he received a Good Conduct Medal, the Parachute Badge, an Expert Certification for M-1 Rifle, and a Letter of Commendation. Bill retired from the IBEW Electricians Local #357 in 1996. His favorite "job," however, was serving for the Fraternity of the Desert Big Horn Sheep. He was past-president of this organization that works diligently to preserve Nevada's big horn sheep. Bill most recently received the Governor's Award for Preservation of Wildlife in February 2008. In Bill's words, "Wildlife without preservation is just so much dirt." Bill's impact on others was most evident in the friendships he made, ranging from his childhood schoolmates to the stranger he met yesterday. Bill's home was his pride and joy. He loved creating landscapes in his yard that provided a glimpse of history, and he would give you a tour of his "outback" whether you wanted it or not. Besides the mountains, Bill's favorite place to "escape" was his game room, where he proudly displays his collection of arrowheads and wild game trophies. There is so much more to say about Bill, but he would say that he was "just a guy." To those who knew him, he was just a guy who made a difference. Viewing will be from noon-2 p.m. Monday, Feb. 18, with funeral service immediately following, both at Palm Mortuary - Northwest, 6701 N. Jones Blvd. A memorial in Bill's name has been established for the Fraternity of the Desert Bighorn.