William "Bill" Coward

William Alan Coward, 78, passed peacefully surrounded by family on July 30, 2022, after outrunning cancer for many years. William "Bill" was born July 18, 1944, in Utica, New York, and raised in Tucson, Arizona, son to Roy and Irene Coward and the youngest of three siblings: Jeanne, Judith, and he.

He graduated Amphitheater High School ’62 in Tucson and served in the National Guard. He started a promising career at United Airlines, loading baggage, then quickly joined Pacific Southwest Airlines (PSA) and launched his lifelong career as a pilot.

William was married to Laura "Sunny" Lu Jacobs, and they had one child, Chalice. He later was married to Karen Lynn Schaffer, and they had one child, Shelene. Bill raised his family in California (Rancho California/Temecula) and Arizona (Prescott and Tucson). Bill will be remembered for his phenomenal love of anything ranching and outdoors. Lake Powell was a lifelong favorite family place, and anywhere his toes were in the water he was happy!

Bill was known for an incredible sense of humor and up for any adventure: snowmobiling, ATVing, horseback riding, waterskiing, fly fishing, ranching — you name it, he lived it! He always shared his intense love of anything with water with his family and friends at the beach, ocean, lake, glacier, etc. There truly was never a time in his life that he was not near or on water with some type of watercraft.

At PSA, Bill had unsurpassed training capabilities in the simulator in San Diego, and even was given the honor of test driving the first McDonnell Douglas (MD) 80 aircraft. The MD-80s are known affectionately as “Mad Dogs” because they take off like rocket ships and require pilots’ full attention to fly and land. This was perfect for Bill; he so loved a challenge packed with thrills!

His smile, laughter, and ability to maintain a calm, cool head under pressure made him welcome at all levels of the airline business. He was strategic in all that he did; a chess player was an understatement. He had wisdom beyond his years and was a leader in life. He had the uncanny ability to meet others exactly where they were at and navigate them through to the next level — truly a gift.

In his youth, Bill loved to skeet and trap shoot for sport. Given any chance, his real passion would show — having or making fun — anywhere he touched. He loved critters of any kind and had many cherished days on his ranch with horses, llamas, and dogs. He lived a majority of his life in Montana, near the Bitterroot river. You could find Bill with lifelong friends fly fishing or riding horses over thousands of miles of trails in Montana. He loved to pack into Glacier on horseback and could read the forest like no other. No matter what room Bill was in, he was always willing to lend a hand with any project or make an improvement on something. His mind was always looking to the better way and what the future could bring.

After wonderful years in Montana on the ranch, he and Karen settled back to Prescott, to live out their later years in life. Bill continued to spend countless hours supporting the Back Country Horsemen and other organizations to help improve and maintain trails throughout the area.

Bill was a loving father, intensely devoted friend, incredible caregiver, loyal American, certainly one of the good men who positively changed the lives of others and who will be dearly missed by all who knew him.

Bill is survived by his sisters Jeanne Ruth Dawes and Judith Murray Beekman, his daughters Chalice Ann Coward and Shelene Ruth Coward, and grandchildren Bryce William Howard and William Orlando Veyan.

In lieu of flowers, please make a contribution in Bill's honor to a cause that supports veterans or critter rescues for rehoming or rehabilitation.

Celebration of life!

◦       Saturday Oct 22nd, 2022

◦       11:30- 12:30 Celebration

◦       12:30-4pm Lunch and Libations

•       Location:

◦       Antelope Hills Golf Club

◦       1 Perkins Dr, Prescott, AZ 86301