William James Horn
Obituary
William "Bill" Horn of Ben Lomond, Ca. passed away on December 10, 2023. He had been battling a heart issue and passed away at Dominican Hospital in Santa Cruz.
He was a resident of Ben Lomond for 45+ years.
Born on December 21, 1945, Bill lived a full life of adventure, traveling to many places around the world. He touched the lives of countless people with his humor, kindness, and intellect. He was one of a kind and will be remembered by all who knew him.
Bill has always loved nature. When he was a boy growing up in Menlo Park, CA, he found an order form in the back of a magazine for sapling trees. He ordered 100 and started growing them. After graduating from Woodside High School, he followed his passion, attending forestry school in Susanville CA and studying Botany at Cal Poly in San Luis Obispo, CA.
Bill spent his life pursuing his interests wholeheartedly.
He had a love for snakes and became a herpetologist, breeding many snakes from around the world and even breeding endangered snakes to release back into the wilderness.
He was a Master Fisherman, traveling the world to catch the next big fish. One of his trips led him to Alaska where he caught a 350+ lb Halibut!
Bill's interests were wide ranging and he took the time to become very knowledgeable about his many passions including classic cars, ornithology, horology, and more. He grew his knowledge "the old fashioned way", by experiencing things firsthand, reading books, and by connecting with people.
He is survived by his brother Robert "Bob" Horn, his sister Helen (Horn) Nicholas, and his nieces and nephews- Eleni Nicholas, Monica Cardella, Greg Nicholas, Gretchen Horn and Ryan Horn. He is also survived by the many trees he planted and the snakes he bred.
A memorial and celebration of life will be held on April 27, 2024 from 2-5pm at 10325 Riverside Dr. Ben Lomond, Ca. For questions, please text or call (707) 331-2659.
We will be gathering to share some of our favorite stories and to remember a wonderful person who will be greatly missed.
Published in Press Banner · April 11, 2024