William Richard “Liam”

It is with great sorrow that we announce the passing of William Richard Kidwell, age 88, of Boise, Idaho. William Kidwell (fondly known as "Bill" in earlier years and "Liam" in later years) passed away peacefully with family around him on December 20, 2025. He was born on May 23, 1937, in Emmett, Idaho. He was the first of four children born to Howard S. and Ethel A. (Dewey) Kidwell.

Bill was raised mainly in the Caldwell, Idaho area and attended local schools. As a teenager, Bill's zest for life and a strong spirit of adventure led him on many escapades in the desert, mountains, along the Oregon coast and even included hitchhiking with friends to and from the Portland, Oregon area for many more fun experiences.

On April 30, 1956, he married Priscilla "Pat" Ann Tharpe, and they had six children together; three of whom survived. Together, Bill and Pat built a life filled with love, adventure, and shared endeavors, including years of independent investments in stocks, options, and commodities, as well as purchasing, remodeling, and managing their own rental properties. In his earlier years, he dedicated decades to and was actively involved in the Sheet Metal Union Local 213 (now Local 55) in Boise and, also, traveled to Oregon, Washington, California, Texas, and New Hampshire when the trade was slow in the Boise area. He was an expert at sheet metal design and layout and always aimed for perfection and accuracy. His knowledge, skills, aptitude, and experience in the Sheet Metal Trade were so well developed that he often held leadership positions at various jobsites.

Bill had a profound love for learning and was self-taught in many areas. He was never afraid to learn something new, with or without help from others. Often, he was found engrossed in books, eager to absorb knowledge on any and all topics. Much of his self-taught skills were used to remodel homes, build a large garage, camper, trailers, woodstoves, and too many items to list. He enjoyed working on and teaching himself, then others, how to prep and paint cars and was, for a time, a co-owner of a car lot in Nampa.

His hobbies reflected his adventurous spirit: scuba diving and beachcombing along the Oregon and California coasts, exploring and rock hunting in Oregon, California, and Idaho, and embarking on family camping trips, motorcycle journeys, and fishing expeditions. He enjoyed metal detecting in the desert and along the river. He also had a great love of martial arts to the extent that he practiced several different forms ranging from ninjutsu and kung fu to standard karate and kenpo. He was ranked in these forms to the point where he held several brown and black belts amongst these different styles.

Bill could be found "tinkering" (as he called it) on his projects that were all too many. If he wasn't immersed in his projects, he could also be found researching ancient historical sites, archeology in the surrounding areas, and gold sites. His mind was always on a new project or a new trip to be made.

Bill found joy in the "thrill of the hunt," whether it was discovering deals on cars, firearms, real estate, or treasures in the second-hand stores he so loved to visit.

He also loved teaching and taught some of his teenage daughters basic car maintenance, such as how to change the oil in a car, jump start a battery, and change a tire. He taught construction, welding, and auto-mechanic skills to some of his grandsons. If anyone had an interest to learn, he loved teaching and sharing his knowledge and skills.

Over the years, Bill cherished the companionship of many dogs. His loyal sidekicks accompanied him on countless adventures. He was especially fond of Miniature American Eskimos. His deep compassion for animals was shown by helping others who needed financial assistance to pay for food and medical care for their pets. In addition, he made sure there was always a supply of peanuts for the squirrels, and food and water on his front step for stray cats and dogs.

Bill's life was richly woven with the love of his family. Surviving him are his four daughters: Teresa Jones (George), Julie Marple (Ron), Jenny Allen, and Brenda Kidwell; his eight grandchildren Rylan Jones (Marian), Chrissy Barbiere (Jason), Erik Marple (Jeni), Matthew Allen, Steven Betts, Jason Allen, Brandon Atkins, and Dustin Atkins; his six great-grandchildren Ethan Marple, Madison Betts, Jake Jones (Annie), Jordan Hill, Lexy Leair, and Boston Barbiere; his two great-great-grandchildren Josie Jones, and Levi Jones who is coming any day now; his sister Karin Jameson (Richard); his brother Stan Kidwell (Joy); and many nieces and nephews.

He is preceded in death by his wife, Priscilla "Pat" Kidwell; his parents Howard and Ethel Kidwell; daughters Victoria Kidwell, Dawna Kidwell, and Barbara Kidwell; granddaughter Rachel Bazen; great-granddaughter Dakota Hill; brother Burton Kidwell; and two nephews.

Bill will be laid to rest on January 10, 2026 at the Cloverdale Memorial Park in Boise, Idaho. Bill's adventurous spirit and legacy of curiosity and adventure will be fondly remembered and deeply missed by all who knew and loved him.

He chased the horizon where wild winds roam,

With maps in his pockets and fire in his bones.

Each path was a promise, each dawn something new--

An adventurous soul, always passing through.