Bill was born in Kansas City, Missouri and grew up in Olathe, Kansas. His mother was a bank clerk and his father was a county road foreman.  Beginning at age 16, Bill worked to support himself through high school and his first years of attendance at a local community college.  When he was 19 he answered our country's call and joined the  Marine Corps where he served for four years as an Air Traffic Controller.  While in the Marines, Bill married his childhood sweetheart, Ellen Nichols.  He left the Marines to continue his education and graduated  from the University of Kansas with a Bachelor's degree in History with Honors and Distinction.  Bill worked and used his GI Bill to pay his way through college.  He was the first person in his family to earn a college degree. He went on to graduate school earning a Master’s degree in Soviet Area Studies from the University of Chicago.  After working for ten years developing software for nuclear power plant construction and reaching the position of Senior Systems Analyst, Bill returned to school receiving a law degree from Washburn University in 1993. 

In 1992, Bill and Ellen moved to Joplin while Bill was finishing his last year of law school.  They have lived here for 18 years.  Bill and Ellen have been married for 35 years and have four children, two of which were adopted foster children through the Newton County Division of Family Services.  Their children have attended schools in Joplin, both public and private.  Jesse, the oldest, graduated from MSSU and works in Joplin. 

Bill and Ellen have had small businesses providing legal and medical services to the community.   Bill's practice of law was very quickly drawn to primarily representing children and the elderly. He went on to serve several years as the Juvenile Attorney for Jasper County representing the county juvenile office in juvenile delinquency and abuse and neglect cases.  Upon returning to private practice, Bill decided that his community activities should take precedent over his legal career.

Bill has always been very involved in his community.  Before moving to Joplin, he participated in Big Brothers, veteran's groups, community historic preservation, and youth sports.   Since moving to Joplin, Bill has been involved in many organizations in the area, but he doesn't just sit on boards.  Like in his practice of law, he works in the trenches.    He has been particularly involved with the Boy Scouts, Joplin Swim Team and as a member of the City of Joplin Parks and Recreation Advisory Board.  He currently works as a volunteer teacher in the political and social sciences for  McAuley Catholic High School having volunteered at McAuley and other area schools for more than 10 years.

Below is a list of some of the organizations Bill has been affiliated with:

City of Joplin Parks and Recreation Advisory Board - Secretary

Southwest Missouri Arthritis Association - Past President

Boy Scouts of America - past member - Den Leader, Cubmaster, Webelo Leader, Scoutmaster, District Chairman, Executive Board of the Ozark Trails Council,  Boy Scout Shooting Sports Director, Merit Badge Counselor, Order of the Arrow

Joplin Stingray Swim Team - Board Member, Past President

Tri State Swim Conference - President

Rotary Club of Joplin

McAuley Catholic High School - volunteer teacher 

Martin Luther School - past volunteer teacher

USA Swimming Stroke and Turn Judge

Chamber of Commerce

The American Legion

The Missouri Bar

National Rifle Association

The Naval Institute

Big Brothers -past member 

Kiwanis -past member

Bill's free time is centered around activities with his family.  Competition swimming with the Joplin Swim Team in the summer and USA swimming the rest of the year take up many of the family's weekends.  However Bill's favorite activity is hiking.  He would rather go on a 95 mile hike with Ellen or one of the children than spend time at the beach.  Since Bill was old enough to read, naval history has been a passion.  As a part of that interest, he collects ship models and maritime artifacts from the 1890-1920 era.