William C. “Bill” Wheatley of Kayuta Lake in Forestport, passed away on Saturday, August 29, 2026 at the Siegenthaler Center in New Hartford. He was 72.

Bill was born in Utica on April 22, 1954 to the late William Ward and Flora Dauer Wheatley. After graduating from Utica Free Academy in 1971, Bill attended Lebanon Valley College in Annville, PA, where he majored in music education. Bill was a trumpet player; hence his nickname “Doc,” the name by which he was still known by many. Although he decided that a career in music, or teaching, for that matter, was not for him, he remained a fan of all music genres, especially rock and the blues. After leaving Lebanon Valley, Bill was employed for many years at Mele Manufacturing. He then joined CONMED Corporation, where he worked as a manufacturing engineer for more than 30 years.

On August 1, 1987, Bill married the love of his life, Kim Lambert, in the backyard of their good friends, Dottie and the late John Gentilia. It was a glorious day, where the emphasis was, appropriately, on beer, flowers, and especially music, which was provided by the Cold Shot Blues Band. Bill and Kim had 39 wonderful years together, and their marriage was guided by a rule Kim once read in a magazine: Never argue about anything that isn’t going to matter in five years. After living in Bill’s childhood home in Utica for 30 years, Kim and Bill bought, remodeled, and relocated to their dream home on Kayuta Lake.

To know Bill was to like him. He lived life with joy and abandon. He was kind and generous and thoughtful and creative. He was a social person who loved to entertain. He was a devoted snowmobiler and boater, hobbies he shared with his dad. Bill and Kim enjoyed kayaking, hiking, snowshoeing, and just about any activity that took them outdoors. They also were enthusiastic supporters of Sculpture Space, Utica’s artist-in-residency program for sculptors, and over the years they purchased many pieces of original art from the annual CHAIRity Auction. Bill’s annual chili cook-off, his Boilermaker and grilling/smoker parties, and his Thanksgiving feasts were legendary, and he founded the holiday-themed Boys Shopping Trip, a tradition that has lasted at least 33 years, although the methodology for calculating the number of years has been called into question. He took pleasure in snow blowing for neighbors in Utica and participating in the Keep Mohawk Valley Beautiful Spring cleanup as well as America’s Greatest Heart Run & Walk, where he was easily recognized for his jester’s hat. Bill was a good dancer, and he and his sister Elisa showed off their dirty dancing skills at S Kickers long before the movie came out. When Elisa’s husband, Peter, passed away, Bill stepped in as a surrogate father for Elisa’s daughter, Katie, escorting her to father-daughter dances, transporting her to and from college, and setting up the Christmas tree. He and Kim enjoyed visiting the wineries in the Finger Lakes (especially Lakewood, owned by Chris and Liz Stamp who shared Bill and Kim’s anniversary date and have become good friends), attending the Great American Irish Festival, playing beach and indoor volleyball, carving pumpkins, making Christmas cookies and spaghetti sauce, decorating for the holidays. eating at local restaurants (especially Ventura’s and Café Del Buono), and watching old movies together. Bill was a talented chef who loved to bake – a skill he inherited from his mother and shared with his sisters. He was passionate about watches and sunglasses, and he had a particular (some would say peculiar) love for brightly-colored sneakers, especially the red ones.

Bill is already deeply missed by his family: wife Kim; sisters Heather Maneeley and Elisa Borello; nieces Katie Borello and Ellen Andrick (Ben Stephens); nephew Jason Andrick (Tonya); and great-nephews Carson and Cooper Andrick and Mateo and Nico Stephens. He also leaves his brother-in-law, Alan Lambert; sister-in-law and her husband, Holley and Ted O’Bryan; and Kim’s nephew, Randy Lambert. In addition to his parents, he was predeceased Kim’s parents, Buddy and Barb Lambert, and three brothers-in-law, Ross Lambert, Dan Maneeley, and Peter Borello. He was also predeceased by his beloved dogs, Shanna and Quincy, and his equally beloved cats, Lucy and Miss Sophie.

Kim and Bill were blessed with many friends, including their best friends Scott Millbower and Cathy Matusz and Bill and Carmen Wright. Special friends also include Bob Tanoory and Sandy Coyne, Paul and Sue Robinson, Joe Flihan, and Aileen Viel. Neighbors on McKoon Road – Maggie Peterson, Linda and Chuck Burns, Denise and Otto Altamura, and Gail and Dave Rhodes – have become dear friends and were kind and supportive throughout Bill’s illness. Special thanks to Dave Wallace and Bill Miller for their support, and to Kim’s other lake friends, Candace Haney, John Rosky, and Carrie Kifner.

Kim would also like to thank members of the Forestport Book Club, of which Bill was an honorary member, the staff at Clare Bridge Memory Care, especially Randi Perry, and the staff at the Siegenthaler Center, recognizing Laurie, Stacy, Sarah, Carol, and Linda, for the tender care they provided Bill in his final days.

There will be no public funeral service and no calling hours, but Kim will host a celebration of life on a date to be decided. She suggests that gifts in Bill’s memory be made to Sculpture Space, in honor of Bill’s love of modern sculpture, to the Anita's Stevens Swan Humane Society, in honor of his love for animals, or to Hospice and Palliative Care of New Hartford in honor of their commitment to helping loved ones die in comfort and with dignity.

Hobboo, you signed every birthday and Valentine’s Day card with “I can’t wait to grow old with you.” Dementia robbed us of our retirement years together and stole our time at our beautiful lake house. You were dealt a bad hand. I always told you that I wanted you to live your best life and that I would take care of you for as long as I could. I hope I did that, and I hope that I helped you die your best death. You gave me so many gifts, tangible and intangible, and I will treasure them, and the memory of you, forever. You sang this song to me and played it at our wedding:

I like the way your sparkling earrings lay

Against your skin so brown

And I want to sleep with you in the desert tonight

With a billion stars all around

'Cause I got a peaceful easy feelin'

And I know you won't let me down

'Cause I'm already standin'

On the ground

Rest easy, my love.