May 31, 1934 - Jul. 18, 2024
Date of Service: Aug. 10, 2024
Service Program
Heaven received another angel on Thursday, July 18, 2024. Our beloved father, Bill Edward Atchley, a 90-year-old resident of Burley, passed away suddenly at Cassia Regional Hospital in Burley.
Bill was born May 31, 1934, in Teton City, Idaho, with the humblest of beginnings. His biological parents were Charles Edward Brown and Lola Harris Brown - both teenagers. It was during the Great Depression and his parents literally had nothing and lived with Bill’s paternal grandparents.
When Bill was one year old his young parents divorced with his mother taking Billie with her. There were a couple of years that baby Billie and his mother lived on and off with various aunts and other relatives.
In 1937, something really wonderful happened for young Billie. His mother, Lola, married the most kind and wonderful man, Alonzo Shannon Atchley - a farmer from Ashton, Idaho. Alonzo loved Billie like his own son and later adopted him and he became Bill Edward Atchley.
Billie loved living on the farm. He was sweet, intelligent, creative and was always witty and funny. He excelled at everything he did.
In 1943, his parents had a son, Lonnie Atchley, making Bill a big brother - a role that he always loved and cherished throughout his life. Bill attended school in Ashton where he excelled in his studies. He was both handsome and talented. He played the guitar and sang beautifully. Not only did he work very hard doing chores on the farm, he was also on the high school football team. Bill’s work ethic and values were learned from his dad, Alonzo.
After he graduated from North Fremont High School in 1952, Bill enrolled at the University of Idaho where he obtained a Bachelor of Science Degree in Agriculture in 1956 with a 3.6 grade point average. He loved his country and the values it stood for so, after college, he entered the United States Army. Bill obtained his commission from the ROTC as a Second Lieutenant.
In 1957, while at an Atchley family reunion in North Carolina, Bill met and fell in love with the beautiful Eula Mae Atchley and Bill discovered the feeling was mutual. After a whirlwind romance the two became engaged. Bill and his brother, Lonnie - as the best man - returned to North Carolina the summer of 1958 for the wedding. Bill and Eula were married June 14, 1958, in Dillsboro, North Carolina. The newlyweds then returned to Ashton to farm potatoes.
While living in Ashton the couple had three children, Michael, Shawna and Lisa. Bill worked hard farming potatoes and was always a hands-on dad to his children, who he always loved, cherished and adored.
In 1967, Bill was getting tired of farming and wanted a better life for this young family so he picked up and moved them to Moscow, Idaho, so that he could complete his master’s degree in agriculture at the University of Idaho. In 1968, after obtaining his master’s degree, Bill was hired by McDonald’s Corporation as Director of Quality Assurance requiring him to move the family to Burley, Idaho. Bill was to oversee and start the newly introduced frozen french fry line at the JR Simplot Plant in Heyburn, Idaho.
While working for McDonald’s, Bill was also instrumental in developing the McDonald’s hash brown. Bill excelled at his job, just like everything else in his life, and worked up to an International Staff Director.
Bill traveled the world. His family was extremely proud when he was recognized in the Wall Street Journal as “Chief Spud Scout,” and had an article written about him. He retired from McDonald’s after more than 20 years of dedicated service. During Bill’s tenure McDonald’s had grown from 700 restaurants worldwide to 7200 restaurants worldwide.
Following retirement he was going to slow down and enjoy a relaxing life; however, he was too hardworking, creative and ambitious to sit still. Always with an entrepreneur mind set, Bill bought farms, apartments, houses, storage units and operated a Jeep parts business, proving again that with hard work and dedication there is nothing a person cannot achieve. Bill was always accomplished while staying true to his humble beginnings. With all of his many accomplishments the one thing that he was the most proud of was his family! He always put them first throughout his entire life.
Bill was a farmer at heart and loved to grow things. He grew vegetable gardens and had fruit trees of all kinds in his yard. He loved watching football, listening to country music, and collecting old Jeeps. But most of all he was happiest spending time with the family. He was a phenomenal father to his children and a great second dad to many others through the years.
His legacy is etched in the pages of history in so many ways. His lifetime of humbleness, kindness and strength have always been a guiding light in our lives. His unwavering and unconditional love for us inspires us to be the best we can be in life. His work ethic and all of the other life lessons that he taught will live on in our hearts forever.
In the evening when we look at the night sky with the big, bright, and brilliant moon illuminating, we will think of Bill and how his beautiful shining inner light enlightened and enriched the lives of everyone. He was a beloved son, brother, husband, dad, grandpa, great-grandpa, uncle, cousin, and friend. Even though our hearts are broken with his passing, we find peace knowing that he is in heaven with Eula and that they are reunited once again. We were very fortunate to have you for our dad and we are going to miss everything about you. You were always a blessing and a treasure to your entire family.
Bill was preceded in death by his parents, Alonzo Atchley and Lola Rush; his wife, Eula; and a grandson, Lance Parish.
His survivors include his children, Mike (Connie) Atchley, Shawna (Christopher) Wolf, and Lisa (Randy) Parish; six grandchildren; eight great-grandchildren; and his brother, Lonnie (Kathy) Atchley.
The funeral will be held at 11 a.m. Saturday, August 10, at Rasmussen-Wilson Funeral Home, located at 1350 E. 16th Street, in Burley, where family and friends will be received from 10 until 10:45 a.m. prior to the service.
A graveside service will be held at 11 a.m. Monday, August 12, at Pineview Cemetery, located at 3609 E. 1300 Road North, in Ashton, Idaho, where military rites will be provided by the American Legion, Ashton Post 89, and the Idaho Army National Guard. A reception will follow at Ashton Community United Methodist Church, 178 South 5th Street, in Ashton.
A Video Tribute to Bill's life is available at the following link: https://youtu.be/arD3irw35iA.
