OBITUARY FOR BILL LUNSFORD

On March 18, 2012, Kenneth W. “Bill” Lunsford went with the angels as his guide to be with his beloved Barbara, wife of 61 years, who left this earth a year and a week earlier. Besides dancing in heaven with Barbara, he will join the waiting arms of his daughter, Kathleen Ann Lunsford, his parents, William and Josephine Lunsford, sisters Willa Petko, Fay Spurgeon, and Patricia Ray, and so many friends.

Bill will be greatly missed by his sons Jack Lunsford (Anna) of Phoenix, and James Lunsford (Debbie) of Oak Park, Ill.; his granddaughters, Celena Quist of Stillwater, Oklahoma; Amber Lunsford Botamer (Charles) of Phoenix, AZ; and twins, Erin and Kelsey Lunsford (Phoenix); by his grandson, Ben (Oak Park); by his great-grand twins, Jaxon and Charlize (Phoenix); and his nieces and nephews.

Bill was born October 6, 1930 in New Orleans, LA about a mile from what is now the Superdome. After his father suffered like so many in the depression, Bill’s family came to Phoenix in 1932. This was not the first time in Phoenix for Bill’s parents though. Bill was very proud that his father had worked on the railroad bridge from Phoenix to Tempe, that he had brought the first locomotive to Phoenix for use by Southern Pacific RR, and that his parents had walked in the original statehood parade in February, 1912. Bill first lived in an old army tent on the outskirts of town around 12th Street & Pierce, but he spent most of his years growing up at the South Mountain Trading Post, built by his father and him just south of the entrance to the Park.

The spirit of his father and toughness of early life drove him to succeed. After high school he began selling paint, later moving to journeyman painter, foreman, superintendent, and painting/drywall contractor. During that time he was a member of the Painters Local Union #86, became an instructor in special coatings, was qualified as an expert hearing/trial witness, and was elected President of the Phoenix Chapter of the Painting & Decorating Contractors of America (PDCA). In 1968 he was asked to lead PDCA as its Executive Director, leading to a 35 year career in association management. In 1974 Bill worked with former state senator and now Pinal County Attorney Jim Walsh to pass the first Arizona restrictions on lead-based paint.

In 1984 he founded the Arizona Chapter of the American Subcontractors Association, becoming its chief executive as well. Later he founded and was President of the Contractors Information Council of Arizona, a coalition of fifteen contractor organizations that worked with the Arizona legislature for better laws regarding the construction industry. Bill was appointed by three different Arizona governors to the State Apprenticeship Advisory Council, and he was a 20+ year member of the Arizona Registrar of Contractor’s Advisory Committee.

In 2010 he was awarded special recognition by the Registrar for his service, and was acknowledged as “the historian and conscience” of the Registrar’s Office. Bill worked tirelessly to establish scopes of practice for contractors and subcontractors and for consistency and uniformity in building codes, and in many cases he drafted the manuals and taught the courses.

Bill was asked to postpone his semi-retirement/consulting business when Bank One Ball Park (Chase Field) was being constructed, serving as the owner/managers’ quality control engineer for the coatings/special coatings being applied to the ballpark’s surfaces. He did similar work at Miller Park in Milwaukee. It was truly the culmination of his career because health issues forced him to give up his consulting business and forego the retirement plans he had with Barbara.

Bill’s awards are too numerous, but he was most proud of the Bill Lunsford Scholarship Fund that Arizona PDCA established in 2000 with an initial endowment raised of $50,000.

Bill held and practiced the highest ethical and work standards, and he taught them to his children, grandchildren, and others well. He was a teacher, innovator, entrepreneur, and leader, but most of all he was a great father, grandfather, and great-grandfather.

Visitation will be held Thursday, March 22, 2012 from 5-7pm, at Green Acres Mortuary, 401 N. Hayden Rd., Scottsdale. A celebration of life will be held at 10:00am, Friday, March 23, 2012, at Green Acres with interment immediately following.

In lieu of flowers, family is asking that donations be made to the Bill Lunsford Scholarship Fund (C/O PDCA, 8490 S. Power Rd #105 PMB 212; Gilbert, AZ 85297) or to Hospice of the Valley (Fund Development, 1510 E. Flower St.; Phoenix, Arizona 85014). The family is so grateful for the Hospice team, especially Sue, Tanya, and Anabel, for their wonderful care of Bill and the family in his remaining days. Arrangements by Green Acres Mortuary. We love our Dad, Grampa, and PaPa.