William J. Spurling passed away peacefully on September 10, 2022 after his battle with cancer.

Will was born in Burbank on April 2, 1950. Shortly thereafter he and the rest of the Spurling family settled in Sunny Brae, where he spent his early years before moving to Arcata. Always the entrepreneur, Will started a landscaping business in the 1980s servicing clients all over Humboldt County before shifting gears (pun intended, as he would have wanted) and taking over Henderson Center Bicycles. Through his work at the bike shop, he supported the Tour of the Unknown Coast, sponsored local BMX, and spent countless hours chatting with anyone traveling through his shop. After retiring from the bike shop, Will became a poker dealer at Bear River Casino, where he elevated his love of the game beyond a tournament hobby.

Will is survived by his beloved wife of nearly five decades, Joeann. A caring and devoted husband, they built their life together around northern California before ultimately settling down in Fields Landing. Their home rapidly became an oasis as they built numerous structures and gardens. Whether it was putting in a new koi pond or a chicken coop, they spent an endless amount of time perfecting the house. When they weren’t working on the house, they took countless trips to their favorite haunts in Crescent City and Reno, always stopping to feed their favorite squirrels and watch the elk.

Will was a man of many qualities which he passed on to his kids. He could play musical instruments without formal training (Dan), was an excellent poker player and strategist (Dave), was known for his ability to build or fix just about anything (Dean), and had an insurmountable amount of grit (Amy).

Will is survived by his stepson, Dean Stevenson and his partner, Noreen Cady of Fort Brag; daughter, Amy Spurling and her wife, Theonie Alicandro of Boston, Mass.; son, Dan Spurling and his wife, Wendy Spurling of Lancaster, Ohio; and son, Dave Spurling of San Diego. He is also survived by his grandchildren Addie, Gretchen, Simeon, Annabelle, Isaiah, Tyler, and Tess. He is predeceased by his stepson Bob Stevenson and daughter Leah Polacek.

Will was also survived by his brothers, Harry Spurling and Patrick Spurling and his sisters, Joy Smelser, Michelle Pontoni, and Melody Poff. He was predeceased by his parents, Wayne and Ellen Spurling.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions can be made to Hospice of Humboldt.

###

The obituary above was submitted by Will Spurling’s loved ones. The Lost Coast Outpost runs obituaries of Humboldt County residents at no charge. See guidelines here. Email news@lostcoastoutpost.com.