William Fulcher Story

William Fulcher Story came into this world hollering on April 6, 1929, and left it peacefully April 23, 2014. He was 85 years old.

On gravestones, it is the years of the hyphen, "between the dates," that are typically fully of vibrancy and interest; Bill was no exception to this rule. Born in Augusta, Georgia, and raised 20 miles away in Waynesboro, his life spanned the Great Depression, two world wars, the demise of "separate but equal," the Cold War, and the fall of Twin Towers. But if you talked with him he would not mark his time by historical events.

Instead, Bill marked time by connections. He boasted of strong relationships with his wife, Carol, whom he married in 1968, and his daughters Sami Lyn (born in 1972) and Jimi Jo (born in 1976). He was known for investing himself in the local church as a member, teacher, elder, and confidante. In his career as a military officer he was characterized as a man who led others to excel past the point they would go on their own -- and toward the feats he knew they were capable of achieving. Bill cared about people, and frequently considered the greater values of life such as character, integrity, humor, and strategy.

The years between his entrance and exit of this physical world included a childhood reminiscent of Tom Sawyer. He hunted and fished in the Georgia wilds, was teased by his older brothers Samuel Gaines and Benjamin Steed on the banks of Briar Creek, and cared for younger siblings Harriet Ann and Paul Gresham. He navigated the Georgia coastal waters in small boats, catching shrimp and fishing his summers away in Valona, the tiny coastal settlement that remained always treasured and magical to him.

Even though he spent his adult life out West, Bill's accent acted as an omnipresent reminder of his roots in the South. That thick accent, along with his manners, love of shrimp and okra, and genuine use of phrases like, "Aw, shucks!" marked him as a gentleman from a bygone era.

Bill's childhood may sound idyllic, but it was pocked by tragedy. His mother, Willie May Malabar, passed away when he was 3 years old. His oldest brother Gaines, his father, and his maternal grandmother also shuffled off their mortal coil before he came of age. His time at the University of Georgia pursuing a veterinary degree was cut short by a brief foray into business owning and operating a hardware store. During this time, Bill became a member of the Masonic Fraternity. Finally, traditional education was replaced by service in the Korean War and a career in the Army National Guard, stationed in California.

Bill was most frequently called "sir" during his time in California with the Army National Guard Air Defense program. He was an officer of distinction, moving quickly through the ranks. His men excelled at their duties protecting the West Coast from foreign air aggression, at one point earning accolades by performing 100% in a Short Notice Annual Practice (SNAP) drill under his command. That team's camaraderie was legendary and is still celebrated almost a half century later by regular reunions. Bill retired in 1972 at 41 years old as a lieutenant colonel after 20 years of active duty.

Until 1967, Bill joked that if he was supposed to have a wife, "the Army would have issued one!" All of that changed when his stockbroker, Chauncy, said, "I'd like to set you up on a blind date with this girl ... ." Carol Dean Carson, a gal a decade his junior who had always been warned to never date a military man, broke through this warrior's defenses almost instantaneously. He proposed on their third date and they were married four months later on his 39th birthday, April 6, 1968. Though he had a bevy of successes to his name, to the end of his life his persuading Carol to be his wife is his most successful and precious accomplishment.

Shortly after the birth of their first child, Sami, Bill and Carol left California to move to Arizona, to a little town with vivid red rocks that "someone would discover, someday." Sedona offered a complete career change and Bill became a licensed contractor, a smart man with a big, yellow, John Deere backhoe and a Chevy dumptruck, exchanging starched military uniforms for jeans and a cotton shirt, protocol for leech field perk tests, and financial confidence for instability as the sole owner and operator of Bill Story's Backhoe Service. With one assistant, Carol, who managed all of the bookkeeping and scheduling for the business while also providing pimento cheese sandwiches and a jug of hot coffee in a battered blue steel Thermos at lunchtime, he built a successful business from scratch, powered by effort, a good reputation, and a deeply held conviction that the American Dream was available to anyone motivated to pursue it with determination.

Self-employment allowed Bill the freedom to dedicate a precious resource - time - to being a father. He would take his daughters with him to get a load of rock for his excavation business, often treating them to popsicles and candy corn as they rumbled through the Verde Valley to job sites in his dump truck, singing favorite songs like "The Church in the Wild Wood" as the miles clicked by.

Soon enough, Bill and Carol set their eyes upon a new venture: to build a mini storage in Flagstaff. Utilizing his building expertise and business acumen, they were able to create ABC Mini Storage, which opened in 1983. Bill would admit he never dreamed of being a mini storage owner when he grew up, but appreciated the benefits of self-employment and capitalism. He considered the mini storage to be a form of ministry, as most people only need storage when they are in some sort of transition, a time when a few wisely-spoken words can be significant. The business and mission of the mini storage lives past his earthly life.

Bill and Carol dedicated themselves to the role of parenting, ensuring their girls received a well-rounded education. Nightly dinner conversations dwelled on the historical roots of current events, discussions of human nature, and an exploration of God's creation. Bill sought knowledge and understanding with passion. Though his tradition education only extended through a few years of college, Bill was committed to self-education; he carried a subscription to the Wall Street Journal through his life and was not shy to enroll in Community College courses to learn how to master new and relevant skills such as the computer or software programs.

The winter season of Bill's life was devoted to family, to seeing his daughters complete higher collegiate degrees, to traveling with his wife throughout the United States. He loved conversation, telling stories, and teasing. His idea of a perfect evening was a home-cooked meal, a rousing card game of Rummy or Spades, and a cup of hot tea on the porch, where he could scan the night sky for satellites with his dog curled up in his lap. Bill was a man with a ready smile and hug, an incredibly deep yet simple man who leaves a legacy of kindness, humor, and intelligence stamped upon those around him.

He is survived by his wife, Carol, and poodle, Sophie; daughters and son-in-laws Sami Lyn and Geoffrey Worssam, and Jimi Jo and Isaiah Veale; six grandchildren, Mia, Maggie, Mikayla, and Max Veale, and Aspen and Sage Worssam; brother Paul Gresham Story; and sister Harriet Ann Story.

There will be a visitation at Christ Center Wesleyan Church on Monday, April 28, 2014 between 9:30 AM and 10:30 AM; followed by a funeral service at 11:00 AM. Interment will take place following the service at Sedona Community Cemetery.