William E. “Bill” Stearns, 66, of Round Grove, passed away, doing what he loved hunting, on Saturday, November 12, 2016 in Remington.

He was born November 14, 1949 in Lafayette, Indiana to the late Wilbur and Delores (Swartz) Stearns and was a 1967 graduate of Wolcott High School.

Mr. Stearns worked for CFS farm services for 43 years retiring in February of 2014. Prior to that he worked for Orville Matthew as a farm hand and Alloy Rods.

Bill married the love of his life Yvonne Doty on 11/14, 2003, his birthday, in the same special spot he was hunting the day he passed. She survives.

 He was a member of the Coon Hunters Association and was a judge for youth coon shows. An avid outdoorsman Bill loved hunting and fishing. He was one to tell you what he thought whether you wanted to hear it or not and that was one of the qualities people liked most about him. Underneath that tough exterior was a loving and gentile husband, brother and grandfather.

Surviving with his wife is a son, Billy Stearns (wife: Chris) of Wolcott; his siblings, Vicky Pearson (husband: Dennis) of Lafayette, Randy Stearns (wife: April) of Wolcott and Ronelle Peck (husband: Robert) of Rensselaer; his step-children, Joshua Morgan (wife: Brittany) of Noblesville, Danielle Reiss (husband: Kurt) of Culver, Sheldon Cruiser of Lowell, Michael Dust of Dyer and Travis Phillips of Morocco; and his mother and father in law, Myron and Pat Doty. Bill loved spending time with his grandchildren Alex, Rory, John, Isaiah, Helena, Destiny, Cheyenne, Sawyer, Mathilda, Nathaniel, Patrick and Elizabeth.

Preceding him in death with his parents is a daughter, Laura Leonard and a sister, Mary Ann Allen.

Friends may call from 2-8 p.m. Tuesday, November 15, 2016 at Foster-Clapper Funeral Home of Wolcott. Funeral service there 10 a.m. Wednesday, November 16, 2016; Pastor Guy Brown to officiate. Interment to follow in Palestine Cemetery.

Memorials may be made to the Bill Stearns memorial fund to be used for a later good locally.