Bill Shively, age 94, of Littleton Colorado passed away on February 11, 2012. He was born to William and Anna Shively on December 16th, 1917 in Yuma Colorado. Bill had five brothers and sisters: Pat, Charles, Clark, Georgia and Darlene. He is survived by his daughter Ann Foster, four grandchildren and five great-grandchildren.
Bill attended school and worked on the family farm in Yuma, Colorado until the early 1930’s. He then moved to Denver and found work helping his mother and sister run their restaurant in Idaho Springs. After a few years of living in Denver and traveling to and from Idaho Springs, Bill joined the Civilian Conservation Corps and was relocated to Alaska where he helped build the ALCAN Highway.
After the Civilian Conservation Corps was disbanded in the mid 1940’s Bill returned to Denver. With the help of some friends and family, he met Jean Schepler whom he would later marry. They had one child…a daughter named Elizabeth Ann Shively. Bill also found work as an over the road truck driver and teamster with IML Trucking Company, driving the route between Denver, Colorado and Chicago, Illinois.
In 1972 Bill and Jean moved to 550 Wolfensberger Road in Castle Rock, Colorado. Bill continued to work until around 1976 when he retired and enjoyed spending time with his daughter and four grandchildren who would visit them often. Spending time with his wife, daughter and grandchildren meant the world to him, but he soon developed another passion….horses and mules.
Together Bill and his wife Jean co-founded the Rocky Mountain Long-Ears Association, which helped Bill follow his passion of chariot racing. In 1989 at the age of 72, Bill won the World Championship Title in Chariot Racing in Bishop California. The second oldest contender in the race was half his age at 36. When interviewed live by ESPN, the interviewer asked Bill what he was thinking when he started the race against all these young guns? To which Bill simply replied, “I was thinking I wanted to win!” and win he did! The World Championship Trophy now resides in the Yuma Historical Society Museum which was generously donated by Bill himself several years before his death.
Shortly after winning his World Championship in 1989, he lost his wife Jean of 44 years to cancer in May of 1990. Losing his wife was a very difficult time for him, but he had his daughter and grandchildren to keep his life full of love.
In 1998 Bill was admitted to Littleton Adventist Hospital after finding out he had suffered and survived a minor heart attack. However, while under observation at Littleton Adventist Hospital he went into cardiac arrest. If not for the rapid response of the Doctors, staff, and a triple heart bypass, he would not have been with us for another 14 precious years.
Following the recovery of his surgery, he sold his house and land in Castle Rock to Epiphany Lutheran Church and moved into an apartment in downtown Littleton, Colorado. He lived in this apartment by himself (but with frequent visits from all his friends and family including his favorite – great grandchildren!) until he was 93 years of age. Up until the age of 93 he was completely independent, driving himself wherever he needed to go, and constantly taking us down to Sedalia for a Bud’s Burger and a beer.
The final year of his life was spent in a wonderful assisted living community named The Gardens at Columbine. By then Bill had lost much of his mobility and could no longer walk. However, he was able to make the entire staff laugh with his great sense of humor and playful flirting with the girls on the staff. His character and charisma were almost impossible to resist. We will miss him dearly, as will his friends and the entire staff at the Gardens at Columbine, but we move forward knowing that he is in a better place with loved ones that were anxiously awaiting his arrival.
Dad, Grandpa & Great Grandpa we miss you dearly and will love you forever. Your life was a blessing to everyone who knew you, and you were such a blessing to us. Your laugh, love, character and charisma will never be duplicated, but will remain in our hearts forever.
Arrangements under the direction of Olinger Andrews Caldwell Gibson Chapel, Castle Rock, CO.
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