William "Bill" Caniglia

Caniglia, William (Bill) Thomas, 87, Denver, CO, passed away on Wednesday, June 15, 2022, with family by his side.
Bill was born to Samuel L. and Lillian H. (Morgano) Caniglia on July 2, 1934 in Omaha, NE, where he graduated from Cathedral High School. He went on to Creighton University, where he earned B.A. and J.D. degrees and enrolled in the Reserve Officers' Training Corps. He served his Army commission at Ft. Knox, KY.

Back in Omaha, he practiced law and raised five children with Janet M. (Osborn) Caniglia (md.1960-1977). In 1974, an opportunity with the John Madden Company of Greenwood Village, CO took him and the family to the Denver area.

Bill gradually transitioned his career from law to real estate development (save for an early 1980s foray into food: opening an outpost of Omaha’s Pefferoni’s Pizza at Denver’s University Hills Mall). He worked in Mason City, IA. with his brother Ross; Tampa, FL. and Albuquerque, NM. In retirement, he managed the homeowner’s association for his residence in Denver’s Central Park (formerly Stapleton) neighborhood.

Skiing was a longtime passion. Years before moving to Colorado, Bill traveled and organized many trips there with the Omaha Ski Club. He continued to enjoy the sport with his family after building a cabin in Dillon, along with mountain hikes, off-roading in a vintage Willys jeep, running and jogging and, in his later years, walking.

Cooking and baking were favorite pastimes; he tinkered with bread and pizza recipes but stayed true to the biscotti and Italian fried dough he grew up with and passed on to his children and grandchildren. He deeply appreciated a wide range of music, and simple pleasures like good food, wine and conversation and soaking up the sun.

While living in Albuquerque, Bill enjoyed a long partnership with Joanna Contreras, the love of his life. She preceded him in death in 2011, as did his brother Ross Caniglia (2007), son John Joseph Caniglia (2000) and former spouse Janet (2011).

Bill is survived by his twin sister, Jean (Paul) McCullough, Bremerton, WA; former spouse, Mary Helen Tierney, Aurora, CO; daughters, Patricia Winslow of Montrose, CO; Catherine LeDuke, Wheat Ridge, CO; Julie Caniglia, Minneapolis, MN; and Christina Madsen, LaVeta, CO; and grandchildren: Ethan, Deryn, Charlotte, and Frances LeDuke; Evan and Arthur McGhee; and Henry, Oliver, and Elliot Madsen.

FUNERAL MASS and committal of ashes will be held on Saturday, July 16 at 9am at Mt. Olivet Catholic Cemetery in Wheat Ridge, CO. In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made in the name of William T. Caniglia to the National Alliance on Mental Illness. Family and friends may visit cfcscolorado.org/obituaries to send condolences or share memories.