Born and raised in Idaho, much of Bill’s life has been spent working in the backcountry of Idaho, Montana and Wyoming. His love for farming and ranching has blended perfectly with the variety of hats he has worn over the years with the Forest Service in Fisheries and Wildlife, Hydrology, Wildfire Suppression, construction and operating heavy equipment.

Bill has always had that creative itch. Whether it’s laying stone, woodworking, painting or writing, the Lord has blessed him with the creativity and the passion to see the project through. Being a successful artist has not only been a lifelong goal but an expectation. Bill took a couple of years of formal training in illustration at Boise State University. Unfortunately, the world was transforming to the digital age and the market for illustrators vanished.

Not to be defeated, Bill moved to North Idaho where he worked on the family ranch during the winter and fought fire in the summers. In his spare time, he drew illustrations with pen and ink and painted watercolors which he sold in town at the local tavern, cafe and barber shop. Paintings sold but never enough to make a living.

After getting married and moving to Montana, he set fine art on the shelf and went to work doing carpentry. One hot July afternoon he took a spill off a roof and shattered his heel forcing him to make some life-changing choices. Through that painful experience, his life took an abrupt turn when he came to know Jesus. With a clearer focus, he went back to school to study graphic design and printing. Before he graduated, a graphic design business in Lewiston fell into his lap. Within a couple of years, the doors opened again with an opportunity to work in Eagle, Idaho for an engineering/landscape architecture firm. He fit in well there and worked as a photographer/graphic designer for twelve years.

Longing to keep a grasp on his small-town roots, Bill invested in “the money pit”, a small farm in Parma, Idaho, while still working full-time in Eagle. The long hours spent farming and doing chores left little room for anything else. When the economy tanked in 2010 his position was all but eliminated, but God inspired Bill to write four books and distribute them across the Northwest. His writing style is refreshing, down to earth, with a good dose of humor, which resonates with people from all walks of life. When the dust settled, he was back in North Idaho driving a snowplow for the county.

A few years after moving to Sandpoint he was involved in an accident that broke his back and both hands. This laid him up for a good part of a year but didn’t slow him down much. Bill saw this as another fresh new opportunity pouring over him from God. While recovering Bill started drawing again with pen and ink and has just recently picked up painting watercolors again. Retirement is looming on the horizon and Bill sees it as another blessing about to be unleashed!

Bill currently lives in Bonners Ferry with his wife, Suzanne. He is set to retire from the County in mid-May of 2026. Lord willing, he will continue his journey of a full-time author and illustrator!