William Robert Hancock

William Robert Hancock passed away 25 November 2023, at Medical Center of the Rockies, Loveland, Colorado. To those who knew and loved him, he was better known as Bill, Sweetie, Dad, and Pops. Bill was born on 13 September 1946 in Miami, Dade County, Florida, to William Forest Hancock and Mildred Lucile Colson Hancock. He met and fell in love with Karen Sue Miles while attending Hialeah High School in Hiahleah, Florida. He attended the University of Florida for his undergraduate degree, becoming a life-long Gator fan, and Auburn University for his Doctorate in Veterinary Medicine. Bill and Karen married on 2 April 1970 in Auburn, Lee County, Alabama. He loved Karen more than anything and was a devoted, caring, sometimes playfully annoying on purpose, husband for their 53 married years together. They moved to Fort Collins, Colorado in 1972 intending to stay only one year so Bill could do an internship in surgery at Colorado State University. Turns out they loved Colorado, so they decided to stay. Bill opened the Lemay Animal Hospital in 1974 where he practiced as a small animal veterinarian serving countless animals and families until he retired in 2001. Bill did not "sit around and do nothing" well. He was an avid fly fisherman while younger and loved bird hunting. His yard and garden were his pride and joy. To many neighbors over the years, he was known as the "tomato whisperer". He loved cooking and was really good at it! Sure, he tended to cook enough food to feed twice as many people as were expected but that was his way; more is better! Pops was an amazing supportive dad. He never missed any of his kids' activities and set an amazing example to his kids and grandkids how to be a good person and a good parent. If you ever needed help, all you had to do was ask and often you didn't even have to do that. He was always quick to laugh, joke around and lovingly tease those close to him. He is survived, missed and lovingly remembered by his wife, Karen, his daughter, Tyler Lynn Hancock, his son, Wade Russell Hancock, his daughter-in-law, Casey Elizabeth Cash, two grandchildren, Owen Henry Hancock, and Ivey Wren Hancock, all of Fort Collins, Colorado, and his sister, Geraldine Hope Richardson, of Tallahassee, Florida.