William "Bill" John Hauze III

William “Bill” Hauze died at the age of 78 on December 8, 2024, near his residence in Crawford. A memorial Service will be held at the Center for Spiritual Life in Delta, Colorado on December 28, 2024, at 11:00 a.m.

Bill was born on January 22, 1946, in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania. His parents were William John Hauze and Ursula Ermert Hauze, known in the family as Big Bill and Ursi. He grew up in Livingston, New Jersey in a lively household and attended Essex Catholic High. He got a B.S. degree from Iona College in New York in 1967 and married his first wife, Joan, the same year. He was a medical student in Germany, studying in German, for three years. A lifelong passion for holistic healing and medicinal herbs followed. Bill’s daughter Ali was born while he lived in Germany. She was the light in his life,

Bill returned to America and moved west. He was a national park ranger in Capitol Reef National Park for [10] years where he developed a love of wild canyons and wild horses. He quit the Park Service to live in the remote Diamond Valley of Nevada where he broke mustangs. In 1982 he returned to Montrose and met Lillian, the love of his life who he married in 1983. His family then included Lil’s children Pasha, Crystal, Shanti, and Orion. They moved to the ranch in Crawford with Bill’s brother, Dave, to care for their dad after he had a devastating stroke. After he died, the family moved to Montrose, Colorado, Park City, Utah, then to Sandy, Utah, where Bill helped develop an air monitoring business called Meteorological Solutions. Bill’s leadership in their projects took him to Alaska several times and for extended stays in Australia, Peru, and Spain. He loved those experiences with distant wildlands and other cultures.

When Bill retired, his yard in Sandy was a beautiful flowering oasis. He had a green thumb and grew delicate colorful orchids. Whenever he could get way, he journeyed back to the Crawford ranch to fix the old farmhouse. Although everyone advised him to bulldoze it and start over, Bill persevered, replacing pieces of the house one at a time until he not only restored its integrity, he made it a craftsman’s dream. That was Bill’s way, he taught us to jump into any worthy endeavor, no matter the odds, and give it 100 percent. He challenged us to pursue our dreams. He was always the first to step up and show the way.

He leaves behind his wife of 41 years Lillian of Crawford, Colorado, his daughter Ali Hagen (Glenn) in Portland, Oregon, his stepchildren Pasha Griggs of Crawford, Crystal Comstock Lewis and Shanti Comstock Kemble of Salt Lake City, Utah, Orion Comstock of Nicaragua, and his beloved grandchildren Aspen and Zion Lewis of Salt Lake City and Christian Kemble of Salt Lake City, and Kira and Brayden Comstock in Nicaragua. In addition, he will be greatly missed by his brothers and sisters, nieces and nephews who considered him a unique character and an inspirational model for how to live joyously, boldly, and in loving kindness.

Funeral arrangement are under the care of Taylor Funeral Service and Crematory

View the obituary and sign the online guest registry at www.taylorfuneralservice.com