William Eugene Orton

William (Bill) Eugene Orton passed away Apr 22, 2017. He was 74. Bill was born in Wamego, KS on Dec 30, 1942 to Harry L and Lorena E (Nehring) Orton.

He was the beloved husband of Jennifer (Hoy) Orton. They met in 1992 and married in 2001. They had 25 wonderful years together.

Bill is the proud father of two children through a prior marriage; William (Wil) P Orton (Kerri) and Aleasha D Keller (Layne) both of Topeka. He is the grandfather to Patrick and Colton Orton as well as to Hayden and Jackson Keller.

He also was a wonderful step-father to Shannon, Shawna, Dustin and Joe as well as a grandfather to their children, Taylor (and her daughter Hayden), Levi, and Cole as well as to Dustin and the newest, Ella. He was predeceased by a brother, Gary as well as his parents. Survivors include his brother Denny (Linda), Rose (Doug) Uhl, Mike (Susan), and Mary Baker. He had numerous nieces and nephews as well as great nieces and nephews.

Bill was a 1961 Graduate of Silver Lake High School, Silver Lake, KS and had attended his 50th year reunion in 2011. Bill joined the Navy for a total of 6 1/2 years going to Rhode Island to Engineman School then on to a tour in Viet Nam on the H E Hubbard and then reinlisted for a tour in Australia.

Upon returning home he joined the Graybeal Construction company under Dean Graybeal then eventually under Ron Graybeal along with Ron's son, Jeff , with whom he had a special bond. He put in 43 years alongside his brother Denny who put in 50 years. He worked alongside his nephew, Lloyd, also. He viewed the Graybeal company as his family. He was a long time member of the Laborer's Local Union 142 which later became 1290.

Bill loved being in his garden as much as he could. During the winter he would talk about what kind of garden we were going to have that next year. He was always planning his garden! He loved all the flowers and would help plan where to put them. He loved his "Flower Girl" as he would call his wife, Jenny!

Bill's love for his God, Jehovah, led him to be baptized as one of Jehovah's Witnesses in 2012. He loved his congregation of Brothers and Sisters as they loved him also. He felt content and happy to be living a life in harmony with Jehovah's will and sharing the Good News with all peoples. He didn't mind where it was, he always struck up a conversation and tried to give them hope. Bill was a stranger to no one. He seemed to run into people everywhere he went that he used to know from years past and everyone who knew him would come up to talk to him. He was so well liked and loved. His legacy was his children and the people he met as he was known for his honesty, integrity and congeniality. He will be greatly missed by all who knew and loved him but he believed in the hope of the Resurrection (John 5:28,29) and felt in his heart and looked forward to the day he would be brought back again with a new body and finally to a life without 'misery and pain' as he would put it. (Rev 21:3,4)

Services for William Eugene Orton will be held on May 6, 2017 @ 1:PM at the Kingdom Hall of Jehovah's Witnesses, as per his wishes, located at 3835 NW 43rd St Topeka, KS 66618.

A memorial get-together of family and friends will meet at Garfield Park Shelter House located in N. Topeka on Kansas Ave and Soldier following the service.