April 8, 1928 ~ Aug. 20, 2016
William Edward (Bill) Hancock, a 3rd generation Nevadan, was born in Reno, Nevada on Easter Sunday, April 8, 1928 and died on August 20, 2016. He was the only child of Lucile Klaus Hancock and Leonard Carlton (Len) Hancock.
In 1937 his family moved to Carson City, Nevada, where he finished his elementary and high school education. Upon graduating from Carson High he was awarded the two year Gray Mashburn scholarship to the University of Nevada in
Reno, NV. After two years he transferred to the University of Nebraska, majoring in architecture and graduating in 1951.
He was selected for the Navy’s Officer Candidate School and commissioned an Ensign in the Navy’s Civil Engineering Corp. A year and half later he was promoted to Lieutenant JG. After graduating from the Navy’s Civil Engineering School he was assigned to the Navy’s SeaBee Mobile Construction Battalion #7 and later to the Eleventh Naval District as a Public Works Officer.
In 1954 he married Donna Kaufman in Chula Vista, California. In 1955 they returned to Carson City after he was appointed Assistant Manager of the Nevada State Planning Board. In 1961 the State of Nevada appointed him Manager of the State Planning and Public Works Board. He served under 6 Governors and retired in 1983 to become Manager of Reno Iron Works. In 1984 he became an associate of the Reno architectural firm of Casazza Peetz and Associates and in 1986 a partner in the firm of Casazza Peetz and Hancock AIA. He was a registered architect in the State of Nevada.
Bill and Donna had two sons, Jay William and Jeffrey Leonard, and three grand-children, Greer Louise, Alexander Jay and Heidi Jean Hancock.
Bill was a member of the U.S. Navy Reserve, Masonic Lodge, Eagles, Lions, Kiwanis, Toastmasters and Rotary Club, at various times, and enjoyed hunting and fishing with his family and friends.
He is survived by his wife of 62 years, Donna, his son, Jay, and his three grandchildren.
Service to be held Monday August 29th, 2016 at 2:00pm at Walton’s Chapel of the Valley, 1281 N. Roop St., Carson City
