Bill was born in Sacramento, CA on 27 June, 1928, the first of two children to William H. and Beryl Lugg (née Andrews). He had and older beloved sister, Myrtle, from a previous marriage between William and Lillian Lugg(née Schaar, who passed away shortly after Myrtle’s birth). He was born at their home in downtown Sacramento. In 1934, his dear brother James Lugg joined the family. By then they’d moved to a residential area out of the downtown area.

Bill attended the Sacramento City schools through high school and participated in the Junior Reserve Officers’ Training Corps (JROTC) in high school. He went on to receive an associates degree in electronics in college. He always had a fascination for radios and television and was able to work at the California State Library along side his dad cleaning and repairing talking book machines used by blind readers.

Out of college he joined the California Army National Guard and served for a total of ten years, five in infantry and five in ordinance with the last three on active duty. He served during times of flooding in the Sacramento area, manning a radio for rescue efforts and traveled to Aberdeen Proving Grounds in Maryland for Warrant Officer’s training. He left the service as a warrant officer. 

Upon leaving the service in 1957, Bill accepted a position with Sacramento Electronics Supply as an industrial electronics salesman. He worked for several years there and at another electronics supply house and then he partnered with four other gentlemen in a business that designed and installed nurse call systems in nursing homes. That wasn’t ultimately a successful business, so he was able to return to Sacramento Electronics and resume his previous job.

Not long after he started at Sacramento Electronics, in 1958, Bill was doing business with the Sacramento Army Depot. He often spoke on the phone with a young lady named Irene Sanders who was the impress funds cashier for the Depot. One day he quizzed their delivery driver about her as they had never met in person. Upon receiving a good report, he asked her for a date on one of their phone calls, to which she agreed. They first met where she boarded her horse. It wasn’t too many months later as they were driving across the American River, chatting about something and she said “you better be careful or you’re going to ask me to marry you.” While driving he proceeded to ask her, and of course, she said “yes!” Four months later, on 7 February, 1959, they were married. They lived briefly in an apartment in Sacramento.

On 25 November, 1959, their only child and the author of this obituary, William H. “Bill” Lugg, III was born. We lived in a rented house on the east side of downtown for five years and then moved to a new home in South Sacramento, where he and Mom lived until they left California 53 years later. I can remember while Dad was still working at Sacramento Electronics, we’d go back in after hours and fill orders or, at the first of the year help with inventory. I’ll never forget Dad, Mom, and I standing in the shelves counting resistors, capacitors, etc. and how thankful Dad was for our help.

Bill continued working in the electronics field until 1974 when he accepted a job as a buyer for the North Sacramento School District (NSSD, now the Twin Rivers Unified School District). In 1978, He and Mom returned to college to complete another two years of education in accounting so that he could take over for the purchasing agent who was retiring from the district. During his time at NSSD, he was instrumental in introducing the district office to the use of personal computers in the completion of their word processing, accounting, and database related tasks. As an interesting aside, the building he worked in is now on the National Register of Historic Places, the California Register of Historic Places, and on the Sacramento Register of Historic and Cultural Resources.

After several years at NSSD, Bill accepted a job as business manager and chief financial officer for the Center Joint Unified School District. He retired from this position in 1989. In 1983, he was elected to a position on the Elk Grove Unified School District school Board. He held this position for 29 years and ran uncontested for reelection several times. During his time on the board, the team designed or modified over 35 schools in a district that grew from a little over 20,000 students to over 60,000 students. He also took a great deal of time to visit the schools and would often don a Dr. Seuss hat and read to the elementary school children.

Retirement was certainly not idle time for Bill. He was an avid rail fan and model railroader throughout his life, having received his first toy train at the age of four. He was a life member of the National Model Railroad Association (NMRA) and was extremely active in the Railway & Locomotive Historical Society. He and Mom also made a regular trip every October to Carson City, NV, for the annual Virginia & Truckee Railroad History Conference as long as they lived in California and they visited Ely, NV to tour the Nevada Northern Rwy. almost yearly in retirement as well.

In 1982, I married Carol and both my parents immediately accepted her as their daughter. We had two sons, William H. “Billy” Lugg, IV, in 1985 and Joel David Lugg in 1993. They were both the apple of their grandparents’ eye. Carol passed away at the age of 61 in 2020.

While Irene was still working, Bill also provided after school child care for the oldest of his two grandchildren, William H. “Billy” Lugg, IV. Billy went to the same elementary school I went to. He’d walk home to Papa Choo Choo’s house and do his homework there where he’d be encouraged to go above and beyond what a young man would typically try to get away with. When it was time to leave he’d get three pieces of candy for the road and walk backward waving goodbye to Papa until he rounded the corner and couldn’t see him anymore (we lived just two blocks away at the time). Later, when Joel began his ministry in Chi Alpha at Colorado State University, Bill was a major financial supporter of his work.

While they were in Sacramento, they became active at Vintage Park Community Church. They were both greeters at the church at first. Later, Bill was selected to join the board of elders of the church and served in that capacity until they left California.

In January of 2016, Mom had a stroke and had to be placed in a long-term care facility. In November of that year, Bill tripped over some boxes, hit his head on the concrete and developed a subdural hematoma. He was no longer able to live alone, so in May of 2017, we moved them to Calhan, CO where Bill could live with us and Mom could move into a long-term care facility in Simla, CO.

In Colorado, Bill has been active serving at Mountain Springs Church as a greeter, participating in Pikes Peak Division NMRA meetings, meetings of the Pikemasters modular model railroad club, and an organization preserving the Calhan railroad depot. He’s helped me build a couple of modules for Pikemasters and work through many electrical issues around the house. We’ve gone through many boxes of very old photos scanning them and adding history that would be lost if not for his outstanding memory.

Through the years, Dad has been a shining example of integrity and honor for me, his son. He loved his family deeply and was extremely generous. He was always available to help, be it to build something, work on a car, repair a plumbing problem, or fix an electrical issue, I could always count on him. He was always a source of good common sense too. It broke his heart when we had to leave California for Colorado for work, as he counted Billy and Joel so precious to him and they would be so far away. But they always made it out twice a year to visit all of us.

In 2023, I married Dana and both Bill and Irene accepted her as their daughter. Their joy at her presence in my life was unmistakable.

Bill made an indelible impact on the folks he met where ever we went. His quick wit, crystal clear memory, and charming personality could win over anyone he came in contact with. He seemed to shine the light of Jesus everywhere. He used to say “I’m just a poor little country boy trying to make my way in the world.” From his humble beginnings in Sacramento, which was much smaller and agrarian at the time, I think he did see himself that way to some extent. He also liked to call himself a “lovable little fuzz ball” and he was in so many ways. He made friends easily and was always ready to share his faith story.

On 3 February, 2025 at 1:20 AM, Bill passed peacefully from this world into the loving arms of Jesus. He was 96 and a half years old. The day before his passing we all went to church, enjoyed lunch with a friend, and watched television that evening as we had every night for years. There was no hint that this would be his last night this side of Heaven.

Bill is predeceased by his sister, Myrtle, his Sister-in-law, Marilyn, and his daughter-in-law, Carol. He is survived by his son, William and daughter-in-law, Dana, his grandson, William and his wife, Tasha, three great grandchildren; Anagrace, Elizabeth, and Zachery, his grandson, Joel, his brother James, three nephews, Mark, Timothy, and Kenneth, and two nieces, Pamela and Jennifer, and their families.

I’d like to take a moment to thank everyone at Mountain Springs Church for their love, help, and support through this most difficult time. They have truly been the hands and feet of Jesus to us through all of this. Also, thanks to the emergency response personnel and the El Paso county coroner for their timely response and most considerate care the day of Bill’s passing. Finally, thank you to everyone that assisted us from All Veterans Funeral Home. Everyone was very courteous and timely through the entire process.

Bill’s Celebration of Life service will be held on 15 March, 2025, at 11:00 AM, at Mountain Springs Church (7345 Adventure Way, Colorado Springs, CO, 80923) at the Summit Center. A meal will be served following the service. We would appreciate folks bringing side dishes and desserts for the meal, if possible. In lieu of flowers, donations to Mountain Springs Church would be appreciated by Bill and his family.