Bill Hines

Bill Bruce Hines (b. 1944; Gillette, Wyoming) crossed over peacefully in his sleep on June 6, 2026.

He is survived by his wife of 57 years, Judy, son Dwight, sister Dorothy, nephew Tom, niece Nancy, daughter-in-law Kate, granddaughter Reina Anne, and grandsons Davis, Finn, John Rhett, and Will. He was preceded in death by his sister Helen, brother John, and his parents John Dwight and Annie Mary, as well as two sons, Richard and Rhett.

Bill’s passions were family and Wyoming; he reveled in both and found them united while raising a family on the ranch south of Gillette near the Pumpkin Buttes. There he introduced his three boys to cowboying, firearms, and motorcycle riding, while in instilling in them his love of the written word and an indefatigable curiosity for both the natural and human worlds, as well as an appreciation for the value of hard work and commitment. A profoundly ethical person, without the want nor need of spiritual framework, Bill also imparted to the boys an allegiance to equality and justice without regard to gender, race, or creed.

Later in life Bill forewent the ranch and invited new creative/productive challenges into his life. The first of which was his development as a hiker/camper, spending long summer stretches roaming the Big Horn Mountains, and a mountaineer, culminating in successful climbs (along with his sons) of two of Wyoming’s iconic features: the Devil’s Tower and the Grand Teton. The second came when Bill took a second bachelor’s degree in biology, completing in the process a program that he began in 1962 when he first entered the UW. He parlayed his degree into a third and far more dubious challenge as a teacher in Round Mountain, Nevada. For his year there he lived there he explored much of the Great Basin, driving countless thousands of gravel miles across the basin and range in search of bristle-cone pines and abandoned ghost-towns. After that, Bill returned to Wyoming for good, assuming his next challenge and arguably his life’s biggest single project when he purchased land in the Bighorn Mountains and began planning a family summer home. Over the next several years his vision took shape as he built (largely by his own hands) a handsome post-and-beam log cabin with an expansive view to the east, which on a clear day, included the Pumpkin Buttes, the same domain that had served as the early cradle of his family.

Renowned for his sardonic wit and keen intellect; irony was the boldest color on his rhetorical palette. He was a well-read man, versed in Western literature, as well as naturalist and historical non-fiction; he was also a connoisseur of murder-mystery fiction. Throughout his life enjoyed a significant reputation as a card-player.

Raised on the family homestead west of Gillette with no running water nor full-time electricity, Bill attended rural school through 8th grade, after which he moved to town for high school. As a high school athlete, Bill lettered on the first wrestling team in Campbell County history and bequeathed his love of the sport to his sons, all of whom went on to represent the Purple-and-Gold on the mat. Upon graduating in 1962, Bill attended the University of Wyoming, until he joined the US Army during the Vietnam Conflict. After two years of service, he returned to UW, where he met his life-partner, Judy, a fellow student from Casper.

Bill’s ultimate creative challenge involved becoming a wood-worker, turning out dozens of finely crafted pieces of furniture for family and friends. He also used his carpentry skills to refurbish sheep-wagons, including those of his father and his Uncle Charlie.

The final chapters of his life were met with significant/unsolicited challenges—the untimely losses of his sons and the cruel theft of his grandchildren. Although he was not one to openly dwell on such things, it is worth noting just how deeply these events rent at his being. Even in light of the cost that those tragedies exacted upon him, we shall all hopefully find cause to remember Bill for his wit and wisdom, as well as his immense capacity for love, joy, and support.

A commemoration of the man will be held on Friday, June 26th, 5-8pm, at Shelter #5 at Cam-Plex; food and beverages will be provided.