William "Bill" Holsclaw

March 31, 2017

William Marlow Holsclaw, age 79, passed away peacefully in the presence of his loving family on Friday, March 31, 2017 in Rocky Ford, Colorado. A native son of Colorado, Bill lived a rich and remarkable life in the years between his birth and his regrettable passing. As a young man, Bill's love of the outdoors naturally led him to become an Eagle Scout. His love for travel and adventure inspired his enlistment in the Navy, in addition to a lifelong pursuit of career opportunities across the country as an engineer and an executive with Avnet Electronics. Most of all, his deep and abiding love for his wife Susan and their children Kristin, Eric, and Valerie provided the foundation for what Bill considered his proudest achievements in life — as a kind and loving husband, father, and grandfather. Never one to sit still, Bill was known by everyone who loved him as a man with things to do, places to go, and stories to enthusiastically share (and perhaps embellish a bit for good measure.) Whether steering a boat, piloting a motor home, or rolling along in of one of his "project cars," Bill loved going places. Hunting trips, camping trips, fishing trips, cross-country trips… Bill loved them all and loved traveling to see his far-flung family as often as possible. He loved to golf, fish and watch sports of all kinds including Nascar and World Soccer. Married in 1960, Bill took his growing family from Colorado to Arizona, California, New England, back to Arizona, and ultimately settled in Rocky Ford. A born handyman with an uncanny ability to fix just about anything, Bill "un-retired" to join Arkansas Valley Lumber, where he gladly shared his expert advice in all things electrical and mechanical. As nearly any AVL customer will tell you, if you wanted to know how to do the job right, you talked with Bill. As a Free Mason and an active member of the Community Presbyterian Church, Bill served God faithfully and worked to serve His glory throughout his life. Bill is survived by his wife Susan; his son and his wife, Eric and Nicole Holsclaw; his daughters and their husbands, Kristin and Christopher Julcher and Valerie and Jon David; and his beloved grandchildren Abigail, Christoph, Heather, Jordan, Thomas, Vivian, and Wyatt. Please join us in celebrating a life of accomplishment and joy at 11:00 AM on Saturday, April 15 at Community Presbyterian Church of Rocky Ford, CO. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Rocky Ford Community Presbyterian Church or Arkansas Valley Hospice. Arrangements have been entrusted to the Ford – Ustick Funeral Home. Condolences may be sent to www.fordustick.com