In Loving Memory of Butterfly Bill
March 23, 1947 – February 10, 2015
Good afternoon. I'm Sue Knox, Bill's older sister. Thank you for coming to celebrate the life of an extraordinary man, Bill Hirsch.
You all have been Bill's family for the last 10 years and I also want to thank you for that. Bill was a very special man with a brilliant mind and immense talent, especially in music. He sang, could play any instrument and composed music. Everywhere he lived he was involved with music; in Austin, it was a Tejano salsa group, in Virginia, bluegrass, here, the church choir and the Renaissance Faire.
I'm second. I received a BFA from the University of New Mexico. Following college, I joined the Peace Corps and went to Arequipa, Peru where I worked in a school for children with disabilities. I met my husband, Bob in Peru and we got married there 50 years ago. When we returned to California where Bob grew up, I got a master's degree and later a PhD in Occupational Therapy.
Fred was the oldest and shared our father's and Bill's artistic and musical talents. He graduated from the Chicago Art Institute. Our house was full of musical instruments from piano to clarinets, French horns, and sousaphones. Fred worked as a computer analyst in Los Alamos, NM until he died in his 50's.
Last, but certainly not least is Bill. After high school he joined the Navy and was stationed in Okinawa as an electronics technician. Following the Navy he went to the University of New Mexico. It took him 10 years off and on to get a general studies degree. If he didn't like a class he would drop it and take another. During that time he worked a variety of jobs mainly in restaurants.
When he was 31 he left home in his VW van to find places he enjoyed and whatever work he could get. He traveled around the country, living out of his van or truck, doing day labor and construction work for 22 years before settling in Lawrence, KS. Bill has written that he prefers this kind of work over more permanent employment because it gives him freedom, he doesn't have to compete or supervise, and the value is in a “job well done”.
He also wrote that doing something he “loves” should not be connected with making money. He stated, ”If I want to do what I really love, I'll be more able to do it if I do it only for love. I'll obtain money by doing things that may tire my body, but don't exhaust my spirit.” Bill bought his home here in 2004 and he spent the last 10 years fixing it up and what he has done is quality work.
Bill's family loves were three: First, this church and its choir and it's acceptance of him and his lifestyle. Second, the Renaissance family where he played the Celtic harp and penny whistle. Third, the Rainbow family. He has been to the Rainbow gatherings since the 60's and has written two books about them.
Bill is known as Butterfly Bill (his rainbow name). He got the name when he was emerging from his sleeping bag in his tie dye shirt and a friend stated that he looked like a butterfly emerging from its cocoon. The Rainbows let him emerge and develop into the extraordinary man he was and this church and the Renaissance Faire have given him opportunities to thrive. And that I thank you for from the bottom of my heart.
"Welcome home, Bill. We love you."
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