Bill Feeley

Bill Feeley, or Grubb as he was known to his friends, 81, of Cody, passed away on December 10, 2024, at home with his loving wife of 56 years by his side.
Bill was born in Powell, Wyoming on July 16, 1943, to William J. Feeley and Marie Ries Feeley. "Billy" was joined shortly thereafter by brothers Johnny and Teddy. The second generation of the notorious Feeley brothers was born. Bill and his brothers spent most of their childhoods working and playing around the Feeley Brothers Reading Mix plant, located on the land that is now Canyon Meadows subdivision in Cody.
Bill's father and uncles fostered a great love of the outdoors in Bill from an early age. Bill loved being in the mountains. He was passionate about hunting and fishing from the moment he learned to cast a line or aim his Red Ryder BB gun. Nothing brought him more joy, however, than spotting and watching bighorn sheep in the mountains and valleys of the Shoshone River.
Bill was a natural born athlete and exhibited amazing athleticism throughout his life. In high school, he was tight end for the Cody Bronc football team, and catcher and clean-up hitter for his American Legion baseball team. One of his proudest sporting achievements came his senior year, 1961, with being part of the state champion track team. Bill won first place in all four of his events and broke records which still stand to this day, in the low and high hurdles. Upon graduation, Bill was awarded a full ride track scholarship to the University of Kansas. After a year, Bill returned to his beloved Wyoming. He attended Northwest College where he played football for two years. He later transferred to the University of Wyoming.
It was at his brother John's graduation party in 1965 where Bill met the love of his life Joyce Ellis. Three years later in June of 1968, Bill and Joyce were married and settled in Cody. Shortly after the wedding, their daughter Tiffani was born, and in 1972, their son Cortney joined the family. Of all of Bill's triumphs, first and foremost were his two amazing children. He instilled in them his love of the outdoors, creativity, his sense of humour, and skipping school for a good powder day.
In the mid-seventies, Bill and his brothers took over the Feeley family concrete business, Feeley Brothers Ready Mix, and ran the company together for several years. Upon realizing he was more passionate about art, welding, and fabrication, he and his brothers sold the concrete business and branched out on their own. Bill worked as a welder and did odd welding jobs for years. In 1989 he finished his greatest artistic accomplishment, the creation of a twice life size steel sculpture of the Chadwick Ram. Bill sculpted this piece entirely out of steel, welding on rods, piece by piece, one at a time, a truly remarkable feat. The sculpture stands on Sunset Blvd in Cody. Bill fabricated many steel sculptures, chandeliers, lamps, and fireplace screens as well as bronze sculptures cast using the lost wax casting method. Bill was a gifted self-taught artist and sculptor. He understood the hurt and humor of the west and portrayed that in his art. His work is all over the country, and he sculpted until the day he passed.
Bill started putting in for a sheep tag when he was fourteen. It was Joyce who drew the first sheep tag of the family in 1980. Bill spotted all summer and found Joyce's ram for her which they bagged together on the last day of the season. It wasn't until 2005 that Bill drew his sheep tag. At this point in time, his son, Cort, was running Ram's Horn Outfitters, and father and son shared the hunt of lifetime. Cort helping his dad bag the oldest and biggest ram of the herd somewhere up around Needle Creek. Father and Son shared another ram hunt when Cort drew a tag in 2007. Having the opportunity to hunt sheep with his son was the greatest and most treasured gift of Bill's life. The three Feeley Rams are housed in a trophy room at Bill and Joyce's home in Cody.
It was after He and Joyces' ram hunt in 1980 that Bill realized life was better without a Coors beer in his hand, and on New Years Day, 1980, Bill took his last drink. He would have celebrated 45 years of sobriety January 1st, 2025. He is one of the good old timers of Cody group AA and has helped countless people with his story of recovery.
Although at times Bill could be gruff, and rough around the edges, he was a fair and kind man with a tender heart of gold the size of Wyoming. He had a sly sense of humor that made his wife laugh every day. He adored his grandchildren and loved his pets.
Bill is survived by his wife of 56 years, Joyce, his daughter Tiffani, and her children Finn Jackson and Solie Jackson, Cort's son Wyatt Feeley of Oceanside, CA., his brother John Feeley and his wife Pam, Joyce's sisters Kay Drury and Earlene Jackson. Bill was preceded in death by his parents William and Marie, his younger brother Ted and his son, Cort Feeley.
We will celebrate Bill's life on December 28th, 2024, 11:00am at the Cody Auditorium with a luncheon to follow.