Bl Kuykendall Jr.

Bill was born in Goldthwaite, Texas in 1934 to B.L. Kuykendall Sr. and Della Pauline Tyson Kuykendall. He was the oldest of three boys, John Addison was second born, and Jerry Lynn was the baby. Bill’s father worked on many ranches throughout his life, so Dad learned to ranch at an early age. This is how he would later make a living. Dad never forgot his hatred of pin striped overalls, because back in his days he was whipped by his grandmother if he got them dirty. At the age of fourteen he left home. While leaving home early was hard, he was determined enough to not go back home. He once said he caught a ride with an old couple and the wife said to her husband “he smells like a billy goat.” From then on, Bill always tried to be clean and smell like cologne. Dad worked many jobs: he mucked stalls, was a ranch hand, drove truck, farmed, and broke horses. These jobs were all before he entered the military in 1952. He said he lied about his age so that he could join early. In the Army he was a paratrooper. He always said he didn’t like to jump out of planes, but it paid better. Some of his military time was during the Korean conflict. When he was discharged he was ranked as an E5, but once said he probably would have at least made E7 if he hadn’t kept getting drunk and losing his stripes. He ended his service in February of 1965, for a total of thirteen years. After Bill’s discharge he returned to Colorado. In Greeley, Colorado, he returned to his first wife, Doris, and their son Kelvin. While their relationship did not last, he was blessed to have a son. In early 1968, he met and started dating Velma.They would marry in Reno, August 14,1969. Bill took Velma and her three children Craig, Roxann, Tracy to California for a better life, Kelvin would come to live with on us Father’s Day of 1975 A busy life full of love. They were together until her passing on March 5 of this year, for a total of forty-eight years of love and marriage. While in California, Bill worked as a hired hand for Rafter R Ranch from 1968-1971. From 1972-1978 he drove truck for Fore Trucking and Baker Commodities. In 1978 he went back to Rafter R Ranch, William (Bill) Ralph, where he became general manager of many ranches. Here he raised cattle and was a dry land farmer. He worked cattle, mended fences, cut hay, doctored calves, etc. In 1983, he went back to driving truck and then managed a motel in Santa Cruz until 1989. After this he managed a large apartment complex in Modesto from 1989-1991. In 1991 he moved to North Idaho. They moved to Athol, Idaho in May of 1991. Where they purchased twenty acres adjacent to Velma’s brother, Myron, and his wife, Ruth. The property where they chose to build had a cabin with no roof. The first order of business was to put a roof on the cabin, so they had a place to use for storage. They lived with Myron and Ruth while they built their home. He worked hard, as always, to make a house their home. In the beginning they had no electricity and water. He would haul five hundred gallons of water from a spring by Farragut State Park at a time. Their power was a generator and a set of batteries. The heat came from a wood stove. Often they went through five cords of wood each year, depending on how bad the winters were. As time went on, they put in a well, got electricity, but the wood stove stayed. They took a barren piece of land and transformed it into a beautiful yard and home. In their home they welcomed many and never met a stranger,Mom always made a good meal and no one never left hungry. In 2011, Mom and Dad decided they would move to Post Falls, Idaho. Though they were in their seventies you would have never known that. Their new home had a simple yard, but they soon added more flowers and personalized touches. Throughout the years Bill was an active member of alcoholics anonymous (AA). He celebrated forty-four years of sobriety on January 24, 2016. His first meeting was in Livermore, California at the Crossroads Fellowship. His home group was the Big Book Recovery Group in Athol, ID, where he sponsored many and members became extended family. He also would occasionally attend meetings at The Way Out Group in Hayden, Idaho. After Mom passed in the spring, Dad’s tulips came up and blossomed, which he had planted for her during the previous fall. During the summer he planted petunias in the wishing well and planters. He said he wasn’t going to have hanging baskets anymore without her. He continued to keep the home. After Mom’s passing Dad often spoke of how she came to visit him and how he missed her so. While we will miss him, we take comfort in the fact that they will be together for eternity and that someday we will all meet again. Bill passed on September 7 where he joined his wife, Velma, in heaven. He is survived by: Craig Copeland and family, Athol ID, Roxann Burtis and family, Rathdrum ID, Kelvin Kuykendall and Family, Eugene OR, and Tracy Copeland and family, Athol ID. Along with these families came many grandchildren and great grandchildren. Services for Bill will be on Sunday, September 18, 2016 at 1 p.m. at Rockin B Ranch in Liberty Lake, WA. Directions: I-90 Exit 299 head south, ranch is on the left. Potluck to follow services. If desired please bring a side dish or dessert. In lieu of flowers, you may make a donation to: Disabled Vets, Wounded Warriors, ABC Food Bank in Athol, local group of friends of Bill W, or AA World Service Office.