William LeRoy Wilcox, 72, of River Falls, Wisconsin passed away peacefully on Saturday, Jan. 4, 2024, at United Hospital in St. Paul, Minnesota. He was born to parents Howard and Rose Wilcox on July 12, 1952 in Edgerton, Wisconsin.

Bill was a man of many interests that ebbed and flowed throughout his life, but his great sense of humor, that often kept us in stitches, remained a constant.

He loved music, particularly Eric Clapton and Neil Young, but never cared for Steely Dan. His acquired expertise ranged from cigars to harmonica playing to woodworking. He played golf, regular and disc, was an avid bicyclist and played competitive racquet ball. He loved all types of fishing and became quite accomplished at tying his own flies and building his own rods.

Bill volunteered for many years at the University of Minnesota Raptor Center, working his way up to flight crew. On many occasions, he and his daughter, Darah, would brave the wild to rescue injured birds of prey and transport them to the Raptor Center for rehabilitation.

Of his many accomplishments, Bill’s greatest devotion was to his work as a prosthetic technician. He was proud to be a member of the medical team who provided life-changing support to the patients they served. Toward the end of his career, Bill embraced the practices of Lean Manufacturing and implemented those techniques to improve workflow and productivity at Otto Bock Healthcare where he worked as a manager for the majority of his career.

Bill leaves behind his loving ex-wife, Rae Ann Wilcox; his children, Paul (Lisa) Wilcox, Darah Wilcox (Tim Purvis); his grandchildren, Jacob and Matthew Wilcox and Asa Wilcox; His brothers, John Wilcox and Robert (Bob) (Becky) Wilcox as well as many cousins, nieces and nephews. We all loved Bill very much. Bill is preceded in death by his parents, Howard and Rose Wilcox.

A final internment will be private as he is laid to rest next to his parents.

His family would like to thank the amazing staff at United Hospital for the exceptional care and compassion they gave to Bill in his final days.