Willard John McLimans

STOUGHTON - Willard “Bill” McLimans, passed away on Friday, July 16, 2021. Things to know about him: Bill loved to learn and was whip smart. He spent his entire adult life learning, whether from his travels (he especially loved National Parks and could talk for hours about his road trips with his wife, Mary, to Yellowstone, Yosemite, the Grand Canyon, and more), books and newspapers or from YouTube videos. He loved history, geology and anthropology. You could try to stump him, but the odds were not very good. You wanted him on your Trivial Pursuit team. He named his dogs after holidays and Shakespearean characters. He loved Airplane! and Parenthood (the movies and that part of his life), a good Yogi Berra quote, and Morgan Freeman movies. He loved good beer and made a mean cheese spread. Crossword puzzles were a passion for a time, as was chess. As he got older and the world a little darker, especially after he lost his wife, he started watching shows that made him happy and were light, focused on the beauty of humanity or were even romantic-The Good Place, Schitt’s Creek, and Virgin River. He even developed a passion for Turkish soap operas, which he watched with volume on (very loudly since he had a hearing loss from a teenage ear infection) and subtitles, so he could learn a few words. He delighted in surprising visitors with a Turkish word here or there. Bill spent many childhood summers at his grandparent's farm in Fennimore and these were formative experiences for him. He learned to drive his dad's truck, shoot a gun, drink beer (secretly) from the trough when a good party was happening on that farm, and he absolutely loved to tell his kids and grandkids those stories. He grew up on Madison’s East side, graduated from La Follette High School in 1966, and went on to be a mechanic at car dealerships and then the Post Office, but he never defined himself through his job. He said many times: “I work to live, not live to work.” He was not perfect. He "forgot" to wear his hearing aid all the time. He could be hard to read because he could so easily live inside his own head. He didn't feel the need to talk if he didn't have anything to say. He was not a fan of most vegetables but made himself eat them (even broccoli) when his kids were young to set a good standard. He did not like to ask for help. He was a caretaker. He was a model of ethical behavior. He loved his family deeply and generously. Bill McLimans was the quietest of great and good men. He will be deeply missed and always loved. Bill was preceded in death by his beloved wife, Mary, of 44 years; and his parents, Dorothy and Willard. He is survived by his four children, Matthew (Elise), Melissa (Greg), Elizabeth and Christina Adkins (Paul); seven grandchildren, Caitlin, Lauren, Griffin, Jordan, Owen, Isaac and Lucas; his sister, Judy (Sherman); and brother, Jim (Beth). A visitation will be held at GUNDERSON STOUGHTON FUNERAL AND CREMATION CARE, 1358 Highway 51, N. at Jackson St., Stoughton, from 11 a.m. until 1 p.m. on Friday, July 23, 2021. The family would like to offer sincere gratitude to Dr. Musa’s team, especially Tama and Kristi and the Agrace HospiceCare team, which eased Bill’s transition from this life to the next. In lieu of flowers, the family has asked for donations to the Stoughton Senior Center, which was also a caring support and resource. Raise a beer to Bill and be thoughtful and kind in his honor. Online condolences may be made at www.gundersonfh.com . Gunderson Stoughton Funeral & Cremation 1358 Highway 51 (608) 873-4590