Funeral liturgy will be held for William Louis “Bill” De Rycke, 79, at 10:30 A.M. Saturday, October 24, 2020 at the Saint James Catholic Church in Douglas, Wyoming with Father Lucas Kazimiro Simango as the Celebrant.  A vigil service will be held at 10:00 A.M. prior to the funeral liturgy.  Inurnment will be in the Douglas Park Cemetery with military honors accorded by Samuel Mares American Legion Post # 8 and the F.E. Warren Air Force Base Honor Guard.

The link for the live stream funeral is https://client.tribucast.com/tcid/80541302

Bill De Rycke died Wednesday, October 14, 2020 at the Memorial Hospital of Converse County in Douglas.

Bill was born Monday, January 13, 1941 in Rochester, New York, the son of Armand Louis and Alice Maude (Kuntz) De Rycke.  He was reared and educated in Rochester. He attended and graduated in 1958 from Aquinas Institute of Rochester. He worked at Eastman Kodak and attended college prior to entering the United States Air Force serving from November 15, 1962 to November 14, 1968.  He was stationed at the F.E. Warren Air Base in Cheyenne, Wyoming and was honorably discharged with the rank of Sergeant.  He returned to Wyoming in 1973, and enjoyed working for the United State Post Office in Douglas, Wyoming.  Following his retirement, Bill visited family in Poland and Belgium and volunteered with Rotary International to set up computers for children in Meru, Kenya. He was a member of Saint James Catholic Church and the Knights of Columbus. He was named the Knight of the Year in 2018. He had a fond place in his heart for Special Olympics and contributed annually to the organization. He was an excellent pianist and served in this capacity at Saint James for over 40 years.

Bill is survived by his sisters, Marie Parent of Windsor, Colorado and Ramona “Monie” Langley of Greeley, Colorado and numerous nieces and nephews.

He was preceded in death by his father, Armand, on August 8, 1958 and his mother, Alice, on March 16, 2003.

In lieu of flowers memorials in Bill’s name to Saint James Catholic Church, P.O. Box 1500, Douglas, Wyoming 82633, Saint James Catholic Church Knights of Columbus, P.O. Box 1415, Douglas, Wyoming 82633, or Rotary International in care of the Rotary Club of Douglas, P.O. Box 1083, Douglas, Wyoming 82633 would be appreciated by the family.

The Gorman Funeral Homes – Converse Chapel of Douglas, Wyoming is in charge of the arrangements.

Condolences may be sent to the family at www.gormanfh.com

Bill lived an extraordinary life in so many ways. From planting gardens that could practically feed a small village to repairing and restoring antique “tube” radios that were, at times, older than himself, and everything else in between, Bill was a person of great knowledge who could navigate and negotiate life like no others. His imagination and child-like enthusiasm about the world were one-of-a-kind. Bill marveled at how infinitely beautiful the universe was while geekily hoping that someday when he gets to the “other side”, he would then be able to “dart” about and see all of God’s creations!

To the deer that grazed (or raided, more like) his tomatoes or pets that craved for his attention, Bill was always gentle and patient. He saw his cats and dogs like extensions of family. With the house plants or trees surrounding his home, he was meticulous and methodical. He took great pride in telling stories about how the landscape around his house had evolved from nothing to an oasis it is today, completed with a dizzying array of trees and vegetations, not to mention a fishpond with a turtle and some goldfish to top it off! With friends, Bill was devoted and thoughtful. Bill delighted at nearly every chance to do something for others, be it a garden he helped till, a wonderful harvest he shared, a window he diligently assisted to install, an extra hand to lighten the load of weeding, an episode of Downton Abbey or The Good Doctor to help someone unwind after a long week at work, and the list goes on. Bill was a dedicated and loyal friend that anyone would wish to have or at least cross paths with. Bill’s enthusiasm to invite others over might, at first sight, suggest his desire for company, but, in truth, it was his hospitality that left the departed guests often feeling they would have missed out so much not to have come. Perhaps, it is this unrivalled, no-holding-back kind of generosity that made Bill such an exceptional and endearing human being.

In the morning of October 14, 2020, one marked with unusually howling winds and pouring rains, as if it were a way for the world to grieve the departure of an angel, Bill completed his earthly adventure.