LEHI, Utah (ABC 4 NEWS) - Today a unique funeral service will be held for a local cowboy who left his brand on the community. William Alan Freeland "Wild Bill" will be hauled in a wagon by a pack of mules to his final resting place.
At the age of 61 Wild Bill lost his 12 year battle with a brain tumor October 15th. His family says it isn't how he died that mattered, it was how he lived. He was a caring and kind man who loved his country, his family, the mountains and hunting.
By trade Bill was the owner of Freeland Construction and specialized in custom home and small business construction. He also was the proud owner of the Lucky 7 Mule Ranch. Bill and his wife Judy owned several jacks and brood mares throughout their time. They were known for the great mules they produced and sold.
You could often find Bill and his gang of rowdy followers with a string of mules packed up and deep in the high rugged mountain country hunting or just enjoying the scenery. Bill along with a few friends started the
Rocky Mountain Mule Association where big time fun was enjoyed by hundreds of mule riders and hunters.
He was an avid hunter and had several good hounds. He was so good at it; he ended up doing a lot of guiding and helping friends find their special trophies. You could pretty much bet that for five months of the year Bill was gone hunting! Bill also loved water sports and was an excellent skier, surfer, and crazy cliff jumper. He loved the snow and had several machines he liked to use to hunt, roam the country side, and out run the local law enforcement in town.
Unfortunately at the age of 48 years old, Bill collapsed. Tests later revealed a
brain tumor that would be inoperable. His tumor was treated with radiation and chemo therapy but nothing really would help shrink or remove the tumor. Bill had a twelve year battle with this tumor located in the middle of his motor skills. The more the tumor grew the more it paralyzed his ability to speak and move a little at a time. Bill would end up having eight mini strokes before he was through.
Bill was loved and had an effect on so many people from different walks of life. It is hard to imagine that empty void all of us will feel without him here. “Wild” Bill Freeland was a son, brother, husband, father, grandfather, and friend to many. He was truly a good time! All men die, but not all men truly live. Bill did, he was the man that was born a century to late one part
Jeremiah Johnson, one part
Indiana Jones, and a whole lot of
Dennis the Menace!
Bill is survived by his wife Judy, five children and 7 grandchildren.
Funeral Services will be held Wednesday October 21, 2009 at 11:00 a.m. at the Jordan Willows 4th Ward,
901 South 2300 West, in Lehi. Viewing will be Tuesday October 20, from 6 to 8 p.m. at the church and
Wednesday from 9 to 10 a.m. prior to the services. Bill will be buried at
Veterans Memorial Park (Camp Williams), in
Bluffdale, Utah. He will be carried from the church to the cemetery behind a team of mules in a buckboard wagon (approximately 6 miles).
All teams, rowdies, and anyone who would like to ride are welcomed to join Bill on his final ride. Trailers can be parked in the dirt area just north of the church on Dewey Wards property. There is also a gravel turn out area at Camp Williams next to the cemetery where trailers can be parked for after the graveside service.
