William Lee Hakonson

William Lee Hakonson died on Saturday, April 30, 2016, at Cheyenne Regional Medical Center from complications of advanced endocarditis. Bill was preceded in death by his father Albert, mother Lydia, brother Vernon Newberry, and beloved wife Mary Ann (nee Burger). He is survived by his brother Thomas Hakonson (Michal Wilson) of Daniel, Wyo.; and children Ann Jones (Kevin) of Cheyenne, Wyo., and son John Hakonson (Tricia Carlson) of Lexington. Grandpa Bill additionally had five grandchildren he dearly loved and was very proud of-grandsons Lane Jones, Thomas Hakonson, Aaron Hakonson, and Micah Hakonson; and granddaughter Mary Jones.

Bill was born on October 18, 1944, in Longmont, Colo., and he and his two brothers were raised in a poor, single-parent household by his incredible mother Lydia (Webber) Hakonson. Lydia instilled the importance of education in her sons despite working several manual labor jobs and possessing only an eighth grade education herself. Bill graduated from Longmont High School in 1962 and went on to earn a bachelor of arts degree in biology from Colorado State College and masters and specialist degrees in school administration from Wayne State College.

Bill married high school classmate Mary Ann Burger in 1968 and began their lives together in Gurley, with Bill teaching and coaching at Gurley High School and Mary Ann working as a speech pathologist in Sidney at Educational Service Unit 13. John and Ann were born in Sidney, and the family subsequently moved to the Nebraska communities of Creighton, Auburn, and Wisner following Bill's career advancements. Bill and Mary Ann remained in Wisner for 20 years until their retirements in 2000. The couple then moved to Lander, Wyo., and remained there until 2004 when Mary Ann's health required their relocation to Cheyenne. Following Mary Ann's death in 2007, Bill decided to return to work as an interim superintendent.

Bill was a lifelong educator who worked as a teacher, coach, counselor, principal, and superintendent in Nebraska and Wyoming. He spent the last 25 years of his career serving as superintendent in the Wisner-Pilger, Fremont County #1, Leyton, Morrill, and Perkins County school districts. He felt that some of the greatest people on earth came from small towns, and he immensely enjoyed his interim tenures in western Nebraska.

Bill and Mary Ann's legacy to their children was encouragement to further their educations-both John and Ann ultimately earned their doctoral degrees-to work hard, and to expand their horizons through new experiences and travel. One of the family goals was to see all 50 states before John and Ann graduated from high school. With several carefully planned summer expeditions, they were able to see all 48 contiguous states with only Alaska and Hawaii to be visited later as adults.

Bill and Mary Ann were passionate about family and Bill would frequently say in his later years that "love" was not a big enough word to describe how he felt. He was the consummate teacher and counselor not only to his loved ones, but to many students and educators whom he encountered. He took pride in "doing it my way" and his larger-than-life personality will be long-remembered by those he touched.

A private family memorial service is planned. The family has established the Bill and Mary Ann Hakonson Scholarship Fund for eligible students in the Leyton, St. Vrain Valley (Colo.), Morrill, Perkins County, and Wisner-Pilger school districts. Donations and correspondence may be sent to 713 Brittany Drive, Cheyenne, WY 82009.