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Just Wild Bill has passed on


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 Just Wild Bill aka Bill Brotherton passed away last Monday, May 18 at his home in Florida.  Bill had valiantly fought cancer for many years due to the effects of agent orange acquired during his service in Vietnam.   He was a master gunsmith and was a fierce competitor in many shooting sports and on the cutting horse circuit. Bill was very active in SASS when he was traveling to many of the larger shoots representing Kirkpatrick Leather.  He enjoyed speaking at matches as he gave away complete gun rigs to the middle shooter and always closed his talk with "You're always a winner with Kirkpatrick Leather and God Bless America".  Bill was one of those people that it was a privilege just to be able to say you knew him.  A true hero he will be greatly missed by his wife, Teal Blue (Marcella), and many friends. 

Rest in peace my friend,

Rowdy Bishop

Fowl Lady

Kilbourne Kid

Sage Chick

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We’ll miss him

 

Peace and comfort to his family and friends.

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Prayers up for his family and all who were touched by him

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3 hours ago, Rowdy Bishop, SASS #48453 said:

 Just Wild Bill aka Bill Brotherton passed away last Monday, May 18 at his home in Florida.  Bill had valiantly fought cancer for many years due to the effects of agent orange acquired during his service in Vietnam.   He was a master gunsmith and was a fierce competitor in many shooting sports and on the cutting horse circuit. Bill was very active in SASS when he was traveling to many of the larger shoots representing Kirkpatrick Leather.  He enjoyed speaking at matches as he gave away complete gun rigs to the middle shooter and always closed his talk with "You're always a winner with Kirkpatrick Leather and God Bless America".  Bill was one of those people that it was a privilege just to be able to say you knew him.  A true hero he will be greatly missed by his wife, Teal Blue (Marcella), and many friends. 

Rest in peace my friend,

Rowdy Bishop

Fowl Lady

Kilbourne Kid

Sage Chick

So saddened to read this.  Bill was such a nice, caring guy, and a real "hoot" to be around too.  I have a hat rack hanging near me now that Bill gifted my late wife, Miss Ann, for our RV.  He understood her cancer struggle and that must have been close to 15 years ago.  He battled it for so long, and many of those years still being asset to Kirkpatrick Leather and SASS.

I believe the last time I saw Bill was the year after Miss Ann passed away.  That would have been while at 2007 SHOT Show  in Florida.

May he rest in peace and God give comfort to all the many friends and family.

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I’m very sorry to learn of Bill’s passing.  I lost contact with him over the last few years, but he was one of my mentors when I started SASS a quarter century ago.  Not only was he a good shooter, he was a fine gunsmith and master machinist.  As far as I’ve been able to determine, Bill was the first one to short stroke a 73.  He machined a set of links out of aluminum with the slot angled 11 degrees as a trial for the functioning of the gun.  He made the next ones from tool steel for actual shooting.  I don’t know how they came to be manufactured, but that’s how hey started.

 

Bill was a great guy and I will miss seeing him.

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I was just thinking about him....Eleanor and I vended along side him many times and he had given us his special posse badges that I ran into the other day. A lot of good times just sitting and talking...Prayers for his wife and family....RIP Just Wild Bill

 

Faygo and Eleanor

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Rip Bill. Pinky and I ordered leather quite a few times through Bill. He had great customer service. I remember calling him with an order one time and he was driving through Texas. He said “hang on a minute. I’m gonna pull over so I can write this down”. He was at most major shoots donating a full rig to the middle of the pack shooter for many years. He was greatly appreciated. 

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We sure have lost a lot of good cowboys this year, so sorry to hear of another, prayers up.   SCJ

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Just Wild Bill  Well RIP pilgrim and thoughts & prayer out there for all family.

 

Jackrabbit Joe & Sly Puppy

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So sad to hear Bill is gone.  Sexie Sadie and I would meet up with him and One-Legged Bob Gass on the road all the time until we each dropped off the road.  He used to carry a plastic flamingo around for the front of his vendor trailer.  One year, Bob "borrowed" the bird and we gave it a nation-wide tour, complete with pictures of many SASS friends.  Bob even took it on an Alaskan tour.  I know old Bob and Bill are around a campfire right now, telling tall tails.  R.I.P. my friend.

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RIP Bill .

Prayers up for Family and friends. 

Rooster 

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Night Train Kate and I met Bill 20 yrs ago at a monthly match in Palm Bay at the Indian River Regulators. We have Bill to thank for being in this sport for all these years. He was one of the most kind and giving cowboys that we have had the pleasure of knowing. We miss you Bill, and offer your family our most sincere condolences.

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