William "Bill" Hestwood

On the evening of June 16, 2026, at the age of 66, William “Bill” John Hestwood of Shawnee, Kansas, with his wife and twin sisters by his side, quietly passed away at Kansas City Hospice House, after a valiant hard-fought two+ year battle with metastatic Esophageal cancer. Bill was a beloved husband, son, brother, uncle, cousin and friend. He leaves behind a legacy of love, integrity and compassion.

Born August 5, 1959 in Bay City, Michigan, Bill was the only child of Richard and Carolyn Hestwood. When he was six years old, his parents adopted twin sisters, Kathy and Chris, because Bill wanted a sister.

After graduating ROTC from Valley Forge Military Jr. College in1979 with an Associate’s Degree in History, Bill joined an Army Reserve Armor Battalion and transferred to Elizabethtown College to complete his Bachelor’s Degree in History. After graduation, Bill went on Active Duty for 11 years and was stationed in Ft. Riley, KS and several locations in Germany. While in Germany, Bill deployed to Saudi Arabia with an Armor Battalion in support of Desert Shield/Desert Storm.

Bill left active duty in 1992 and returned to the States. He moved to WA State and transferred to the Army Reserve, where he continued his Army career and held many different positions, including command of a Finance Battalion. A longtime volunteer with the Boy Scouts, Bill was hired by the Tacoma, WA Boy Scout Council where he worked for three years before moving to Kansas in 2000 to work as a contractor with Northrup Grumman at Ft. Leavenworth.

It was in Kansas where he met his beloved wife, Sheryl; they were married for twenty-two years until his death. Shortly after their first wedding anniversary, he was deployed again to Iraq for Operation Iraqi Freedom in 2005. Bill retired from the Army in 2009 as a Colonel, at which point he became a Department of the Army Civilian, retiring in 2022.

Bill’s hobbies included traveling nationally and internationally with Sheryl, reading, golf and hunting. He especially loved hunting with his Dad.

Bill was preceded in death by his father, Richard Hestwood. He is survived by his wife Sheryl Hestwood; his mother Carolyn Hestwood; his sisters Christine Hestwood and Kathleen (Paul) McCormack and many close friends, family and friends who became family.

To honor Bill’s wishes, no services are planned. In lieu of flowers, a donation may be made in memory of William “Bill” Hestwood to the KU Endowment, 3901 Rainbow Boulevard, Mail Stop 3012, Kansas City, KS 66160, to benefit the Cancer Research Gift Fund. Online contributions may be made below.