William Henry "Bill" While
Page by Bob Leathers
William Henry "Bill" While (While Family Collection from Bob Leathers)
Life Story
1898 September 28: William Henry "Bill" While was born, in Hanna, Wyoming to John "Jackie" and Louisa (Hadley) While.
1914 about: Bill While, age 16, started working in the Hanna No. 2 and Hanna No 4 Mines with his dad and brothers.
1920 January 16: William "Bill" While, age 21 a laborer in the coal mine was living with his parents John and Lousia While in house No.10 in Hanna.
1930: Bill was living with his parent, John and Lousia in Hanna in house No. 8. He was 38 years old, single, a Rope Runner in the coal mine,
While Brothers. Job "Jobie". William "Bill" and Edward "Breezy" (While Family Collection from Kristy and Bill Becker)
1942 December 15: When his mother Lousia While died, Bill was serving his country in the U.S. Army.
1943: After the death of his mother Louisa While, Bill lived with his brother and sister-in-law John While Jr. and "Jessie" While on Tipperary in Hanna. (BL)
1954: Bill was laid off from the Union Pacific Coal Company. Up to this time Bill had worked in coal mines over a 40 year period, only taking time away to serve in the U.S. Army during World War II.
1955: The picture below was taken in the John "Jack" While's yard on the day of his funeral. The missing brother in the picture was Edward "Breezy" While who was living in California and could not make the funeral.
Attending John "Jack" While Jr.'s funeral were his brothers - James "Jimmy" While, Robert "Bob" While, William "Bill" While and Jobe "Job" While - all sons of John "Jackie" While Sr. and Louisa. Missing in the picture is Edward "Ed" While who lived in California at the time of his brother's funeral. (While Family Collection from Bob Leathers)
1956: Bill went to work in the Hanna saw mill. He ran the lumber stacker. When the saw mill closed in Hanna he traveled each day with Sam Bundy from Hanna to the Encampment saw mill. He ran the lumber stacker there as well.
1980 March 13: Bill died in Laramie, Wyoming, at the age of 81 and was buried in the Hanna, Wyoming cemetery in the same plot as his brother John "Jack" While.
2002 July 4: A memory from Bob Leathers about his Great Uncle Bill.
Uncle Bill lived for as long as I can remember with Grandpa and Grandma While on Tip in Hanna. He continued to live there even after grandpa died in 1955. He never married. In my early years Uncle Bill was always mad at my brother Ron and I for one thing or another - mainly because we would get into his stuff! When I was old enough and had my own transportation, a 1939 Chevy pickup, we got along great. We took many hunting and fishing trip together in my old truck. He was an avid sportsman. He loved to hunt and fish. When fishing uncle Bill would not be found without his Military Hat. When a few to many fish were caught on regular trips to the Bow River or East Fork he would hide a fish or two under his hat on the trip home. When hunting Sage Chickens with his trusty 12 gauge shotgun, he was constantly reminding Ron and I "not to shoot the old ones" - then he would shoot an old one. When fishing Pathfinder or Seminole he was a master at catching fish, but his specialty was whipping up a tasty Mulligan Stew. Bill's military 30-06 was his pride and joy when hunting antelope, deer and elk. The summer I graduated from High School, I worked with Uncle Bill and Sam Bundy at the Cow Creek sawmill in Encampment. He operated the lumber stacker and I ran the log saw that cut logs into 2x4's. Sam ran the head saw. We left Hanna each working day at four in the morning in Sam's 1960 International. We would work an eight hour day then head back to Hanna. Uncle Bill rolled his own cigarettes. I don't think I ever saw him smoke a store bought cigarette. He was grumpy when he didn't have the makings for his smokes. His favorite tobacco was Bull Durham, but he also smoked Sir Walter Rawley and Prince Albert. I remember Bull Durham came in a sack with red strings, Sir Walter Rawley and Price Albert both came in a can which my brother and I stored our worms in when fishing on the Bow River. (Bob Leathers)
William Henry "Bill" While and James "Jimmy" While. (Not Dated) (While Family Collection from Bob Leathers)
William Henry "Bill" While (Not Dated) (While Family Collection from Bob Leathers)
While, William "Bill"
Cemetery: Hanna
Headstone: "1898 - 1980; PFC US Army World War II"
Plot: 440
Born: Sept. 28, 1898
Died: Mar. 13, 1980
Age: 81 y's, 5 m's, 15 d's
Note: Bill was born, worked and lived in Hanna his entire life, except for a tour in the United States Army. In his early years he worked for the Union Pacific Coal Company in the No. 2 mine and No. 4 mine. After the Union Pacific Coal Company mines closed in 1954, he worked on the rip track for the Union Pacific Railroad. After about two years of the railroad, he worked at the Hanna Sawmill. He ran the lumber stacker. When the sawmill closed in Hanna, he traveled each workday with Sam Bundy from Hanna to the Cow Creek sawmill at Encampment. He was an avid sportsman and loved to hunt and fish. Bill served in the United States Army during World War II.
Note: Obituary: Lifetime area resident, William While, 82, of Hanna died Thursday, March 13 at Bethesda Care Center, in Laramie. He was born Sept. 28, 1898 in Hanna to Mr. and Mrs. John While. He attended Hanna schools before entering the military service during WW II. After the war he returned to Hanna and worked in the Turtling Mine until it closed in 1949. He then worked for the Union Pacific Railroad. Later he worked until his retirement at the R.R. Crow Lumber Co. in Saratoga. He was a member of the Episcopal Church. He was preceded in death by his parents, four brothers, John, James, Joby and Breezy and a sister Mrs. Sarah Cummings. He is survived by on brother, Robert of Laramie. Funeral services will he held March 17 at 11 a.m. at the Methodist Church in Hanna, with burial in the Hanna Cemetery. (Rawlins Daily Times)
Note: [William "Bill While was preceded in death by five brothers: Job "Jobe" While; John Jr. "Jack" While; Edward "Breezy" While; James "Jimmy" While and Gernald While and one sister Sarah (While) Cummings. He was survived by one brother: Robert "Bob" While. Bob was the last to pass away.]
Note: Son of John and Lousia While (BL)
Cemetery: Hanna
Headstone: "1898 - 1980; PFC US Army World War II"
Plot: 440
Born: Sept. 28, 1898
Died: Mar. 13, 1980
Age: 81 y's, 5 m's, 15 d's
Note: Bill was born, worked and lived in Hanna his entire life, except for a tour in the United States Army. In his early years he worked for the Union Pacific Coal Company in the No. 2 mine and No. 4 mine. After the Union Pacific Coal Company mines closed in 1954, he worked on the rip track for the Union Pacific Railroad. After about two years of the railroad, he worked at the Hanna Sawmill. He ran the lumber stacker. When the sawmill closed in Hanna, he traveled each workday with Sam Bundy from Hanna to the Cow Creek sawmill at Encampment. He was an avid sportsman and loved to hunt and fish. Bill served in the United States Army during World War II.
Note: Obituary: Lifetime area resident, William While, 82, of Hanna died Thursday, March 13 at Bethesda Care Center, in Laramie. He was born Sept. 28, 1898 in Hanna to Mr. and Mrs. John While. He attended Hanna schools before entering the military service during WW II. After the war he returned to Hanna and worked in the Turtling Mine until it closed in 1949. He then worked for the Union Pacific Railroad. Later he worked until his retirement at the R.R. Crow Lumber Co. in Saratoga. He was a member of the Episcopal Church. He was preceded in death by his parents, four brothers, John, James, Joby and Breezy and a sister Mrs. Sarah Cummings. He is survived by on brother, Robert of Laramie. Funeral services will he held March 17 at 11 a.m. at the Methodist Church in Hanna, with burial in the Hanna Cemetery. (Rawlins Daily Times)
Note: [William "Bill While was preceded in death by five brothers: Job "Jobe" While; John Jr. "Jack" While; Edward "Breezy" While; James "Jimmy" While and Gernald While and one sister Sarah (While) Cummings. He was survived by one brother: Robert "Bob" While. Bob was the last to pass away.]
Note: Son of John and Lousia While (BL)
(Image by Bob Leathers)
John and Jessie (Tennant) While on the right. William "Bill" While on the left. . 2001. (While Family Collection from Bob Leathers)