William Merrill Allison

William (Bill) Allison was born in Martin S.D. March 14, 1933 to Lee and Gladys (Smart) Allison and went to be with his Savior July 3, 2021. He was the 8th of 10 children, born into a very loving family, whose lives all changed when the twin boy and girl were born and their mother died. He was 3 years old. The oldest daughter died when she was 13 years old. He grew up with first an aunt, grandmother and then permanent foster parents Lee and Ruth Fairhead in Burton Nebraska, who gave him a good home. His first years were on cattle ranches and he loved that life and was talented with training and riding horses, both for ranch life and cattle as well as rodeos. Bill was good at roping. Bill excelled in sports, especially loved track and football for which he received 2 scholarships to Chadron and Wayne State Universities in Nebraska. He was named star of the week in Nebraska for his football game. He graduated from Keya Paha High school in 1952. He served two years in the military as pit crew leader in Nike guided missiles in Washington state. On September 11, 1953 he married Marlene Caldwell of Ainsworth Ne. and they shared a very special love and almost 68 years together. He enjoyed the ritual of making coffee and serving her every morning. To that union were born Vicki, Patti and Brian (Debi) all of Loveland Co. A god-daughter, Kim and her family live in Bozeman Mt. After ranch life, Bill learned the plumbing trade and had his own business most of over 40 years. Early in these years he learned of a widow who needed plumbing work done and could not afford it. He did this for her at no charge and she in turn insisted on giving him an old car (a ‘54 chevy) which became his children’s first car and then went on to serve his special friends 6 children on a ranch. What stories that car could tell! Bill was blessed with lots of energy and found it difficult to be inactive. Therefore, retirement took four tries to succeed. His last year of plumbing he enjoyed helping senior citizens who received very good, discounted rates as his way of giving back. After 2 years of retirement he was blessed to be able to help out on a working cattle ranch in the beautiful Bear Paw mountains in Montana at Ross ranch for five years which was his most favorite way to live. The Ross’s became special friends for life. Bill loved children and enjoyed being a volunteer coach for Special Olympics in Wheatland Wy for five years. He had a special rapport with them and some called him grandpa! Bill’s children remember being taught to be kind, especially to those who have special needs. Life took him from S.D. and Nebraska to Washington, Iowa, Colorado, Montana, Wy. And finally back to Colorado where the children and grandchildren reside. Along this journey he made so many wonderful friends and lasting memories. Bill was known for his wonderful, boisterous laugh which came from deep within his soul. When you heard this, it was infectious, and you found yourself laughing, even if you didn’t know why! One time while traveling on vacation we were in a restaurant in Springfield Mo and Bill laughed at something – a guy came from the other side of the restaurant and looked to see who it was and said "I thought that was you, Bill. Nobody else has a laugh like yours”. Turns out that guy knew him from attending the same school! In the last years of his life, COPD robbed him of most of this laugh. He had a very positive outlook on life and said he always knew that God would work everything out for good. He also had a wonderful, sometimes ornery, sense of humor which he shared with everyone. If you knew him very long, you most likely had some tricks played on you! He was a most unselfish person who adored family. He looked forward to bi-annual vacations with his siblings, with whom he shared a tight bond. He is survived by his wife, Marlene; two daughters, Vicki and Patti; son Brian and wife Debi. He was very proud of his children and their strong work ethic. He told them to always do the right thing regardless of the situation. He taught the plumbing trade to his son who in turn did the plumbing and heating on numerous new million dollar homes in Colorado. Two granddaughters preceded him into heaven, leaving 5 grandchildren, 12 great grandchildren, and 4 great-great grandchildren. His eyes always lit up when the little ones would visit him, and they in turn always looked forward to seeing grandpa Bill. He has one surviving sister, Gladys Van Drie of Estes Park Co. Bill leaves a legacy of hard work, integrity, honesty, faith, tenderness, love of providing for his family, humor and his unique and wonderful laugh. Memorial donations can be made to the Special Olympics or Guiding Eyes for the Blind, a few that we near and dear to Bill’s heart. Memorial Service Saturday July 17, 2021, 11:00am at Grace Community Church in Loveland, CO.