William F. Cody (Bill) died peacefully on October 5, 2026, following a long illness. His passing marked the end of a rich, eventful life and left a big hole in the hearts of all who loved him. He will be sorely missed.

Bill was born at St. Catherine’s Hospital in Brooklyn, NY on July 9, 1946, and although he spent the majority of his years in California, he retained a bit of that New York accent throughout his life. He had a quick wit, a strong work ethic, and a genuine interest in all the people he met along his life’s path.

His California journey began in the early 1970’s and included stopovers in Pomona, where he attended Cal Poly, and in Malibu, where he worked as a lighting and stage designer for the Don Kirshner Rock Concert. After settling in Humboldt, he received a bachelor’s degree in business and a masters in theatre arts from HSU.

Bill was a gifted photographer, and won numerous awards for his work over the years. He was also a successful entrepreneur, creating a variety of businesses in Eureka. He opened a kite business in the 1970’s, created and sold driftwood sculptures and burl furniture, and refinished and sold antiques at a variety of locations, including Buffalo Bill’s Antiques, The Cody Gallery of Art and Antiques, and Cody’s Collectibles.

He was proud to be named after Buffalo Bill Cody and took multiple trips to Cody, Wyoming, where he enjoyed showing off his ID to the local folks. He loved to travel and visited many countries over the years, including China, France, Italy, Scotland, England, Ireland, Canada, Mexico, and New Zealand. He also loved music, had a radio show on KHSU, and had an extensive vinyl collection he listened to every day.

Bill enjoyed baseball and played men’s slow pitch softball in the B league for close to 20 years on several teams: The Redmond Raiders, Spike Jones and his City Slickers and the North Coast Awning Caballeros.

When Bill was in his forties, he was diagnosed with retinitis pigmentosa, a degenerative eye disease that would ultimately leave him blind. He refused to let that diagnosis limit him. He went to ‘blind camp’ in Napa to learn skills that would keep him independent, and got a guide dog, his beloved Releve, to help him navigate the world. He figured out how to work around his disability, including continuing to play cards with his poker buddies, who accommodated him by using progressively larger cards.

Bill was diagnosed with a terminal skin cancer in 2024, but he never gave up or pitied himself. He continued walking with a mobility trainer and going out to lunch with good friends each week. A special thanks is due to Dana Pilarowski and Bob Roney, who helped keep him safe and mobile throughout his illness.

Bill passed at the Hospice House in Eureka, in a lovely, serene environment surrounded by redwood trees. He had so many visitors the staff had to bring in extra chairs and benches to accommodate them all. We’ll be forever grateful to all his loving caregivers who made his final journey as peaceful and graceful as possible.

Bill is survived by his wife Linda Mitchell; his son Chris Cody; his step-children Tami Fuhrmann-Cramer, Brandi Fuhrmann, and Scott Mitchell; his grandchildren Dakota Parker, Drake and Chris Cody Jr., Zoe and Miranda Cramer, Natalie, Jessica and Jupiter Mitchell; his brother-in-law Bob Roney; sisters-in-law Gini Roney and Mary Krajeski; his nieces Dawn Krajeski, Beth Skinner and Maureen Nelson; his nephews Jeff and Nick Roney, and by many other relatives on the east coast and in California. He was preceded in death by his parents, Roger and Virginia Cody; his sister Marge Baudo; his brother-in-law John Krajeski; his nephew Michael Cunningham; his step-son Eric Mitchell; and his guide dog Releve.

A celebration of Bill’s life will be held at a later date. Donations to Hospice of Humboldt would be greatly appreciated.