William "Bill" Forrest Cecil

William “Bill” CecilSeptember 2, 1944 – June 3, 2025

William “Bill” Cecil, 80, passed away peacefully at home while working in his beloved yard—a place he took great pride in and cared for with love and dedication. Born at home in Barnesville, Weld County, Colorado on September 2, 1944, he was the youngest child of Otto and Clara Cecil (Todd). He was preceded in death by his siblings Claude, Clayton (Phillip), Ella Mae, and Richard.

Bill grew up in the tight-knit communities of Gill and Kersey, attending local schools and graduating from Kersey High School in 1962. From an early age, he embraced hard work and responsibility, starting on the family farm where he milked cows and farmed the land. His deep connection to the land and to tractors, stayed with him his entire life.

Throughout his diverse and driven career, Bill worked at Harsh, Kodak, Best Brands, Weld County Road & Bridge, owned and operated his own daycare (Dad’s Daycare), ran a snack route with Absolutely Nuts, and worked for Cool Care Commercial Refrigeration. In 1997, he fulfilled a dream by opening his own business, Absolute Cool Commercial Refrigeration, in which he remained heavily involved with during his semi-retirement in recent years. He was known not only for his work ethic, but for his friendliness, and dependability.

Bill shared 44 wonderful years of marriage with Penny (McChesney), the love of his life. Together they built a family rooted in love, loyalty, and shared purpose. He was a proud and devoted father to Wesley “Wes” Cecil, Mark (Debbie) Cecil, Nicholas “Nick” (Amber) Cecil, and Jennifer (Nathan “Nate”) Downey —his four kids, his heart, his pride. He was also a cherished grandfather to nine grandchildren (Andrew, Ellie, Samantha, Cara, Makayla, Samuel, Robby, Liam and Annie) and a joyful great-grandfather to many more.

A lover of all things mechanical, Bill had a lifelong passion for classic cars, trucks, and tractors. He loved driving and working on vehicles, collecting vintage toys and memorabilia, and watched and frequently attended car auctions, and often raised his arm. One of his favorite adventures was spending three weeks driving the legendary Route 66. His shop, garage, and yard were full of stories, character, and tools that reflected the heart of a man who could fix just about anything.

Bill had a deep appreciation for 1960’s and 1970’s rock music, especially the Beach Boys, the Eagles, and Elvis Presley. He also valued lifelong learning—completing several college and continuing education courses, including public speaking—and was a proud Christian and active member of the Moose Lodge in Evans.

To those who knew him, Bill was so much more than his titles. He was a son, husband, father, grandpa, great-grandpa, friend, and a neighbor. He was caring, strong, loving and most of all stubborn in the best of ways, and always willing to help someone in need. He was a hero to his family, a storyteller, and a steady presence in the lives of those around him.

A Memorial Service will be held at Adamson Life Celebration Home 2000 47th Ave, Greeley, CO 80634 on Wednesday, June 18th at 1 PM with viewing available on Tuesday, June 17th from 5-7. His Celebration will continue after the Wednesday Service with a barbeque at his home (5645 Ute Lane, Greeley CO 80634), which was one of Bill’s favorite events. On Friday, June 20th additional Celebration and interment will be held in Norton, KS. If you wish, please wear a car (or Hawaiian) shirt in his memory as we all know he loved his cars.

In lieu of flowers, the family invites donations of new toys (or monetary donations accepted to be donated) in Bill’s honor. We will have a donation box to drop new toys at his barbeque celebration to be donated to various local children’s charities.