The Bill Felix Memorial Foundation was established by family and friends to honor the memory and life of

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Guillermo “Bill” Jesus Felix

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who lived his life with courage, compassion, generosity, and most of all, love.  Bill was the genuine person that did everything in good will, not for the accolades or glory but merely for the care and compassion he had for others.  He was an extremely loyal, hardworking, and kind individual. 

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​Bill was a graduate of Canyon del Oro High School, worked briefly in the mental health field, and later worked for BHP Copper Company in San Manuel, Arizona.  After the closure of the mine and smelter operations, Bill experienced the importance of furthering his education and decided to return to school to pursue a degree in Building and Construction Technologies at Pima Community College with an emphasis in HVAC, Electrical and Plumbing.  He completed 64 credit hours in just 18 months and graduated with honors.  He immediately became an employee of the University of Arizona's Facilities Management Department.  He began his career as a General Maintenance Mechanic and quickly worked through the ranks, becoming the Lead Mechanic and shortly thereafter the Mechanical /HVAC Shop Supervisor.

 

​Bill was a proud member of Toastmasters International and won several competitions in public speaking, which included the most inspirational. He was also a member of the Pima Community College Advisory Board, Building and Construction Technologies curriculum.  With several leadership seminars and training opportunities, Bill became the epitome of a strong leader in everything he did.  While supervising, he set forth the ability to lead by example and coached with passion and with a great sense of empathy and understanding. 

 

Bill was extremely active in the Southern Arizona basketball community spending many years and long hours coaching his son, daughter, and assisting countless kids throughout the Tucson community. He was a great mentor and coached with a boundless heart and humor. He opened up his home and commuted many kids to and from practice and to out-of-town tournaments, always with a purpose to keep teams together and bond. He would strategically plan and coach on skill and IQ with a tremendous memory and love for the game.  His mission was to teach the many young men to, not perfect their fundamentals of the game, but to perfect their character and guide them to be dependable, hardworking, and loyal teammates as well productive members of society.  

 

Bill could easily strike up a conversation with any person he would meet and the conversation was usually a sports topic.  He enjoyed watching any sport and recorded statistics on many levels of competition, then had an astonishing ability to remember what the outcome was years later.  Although he enjoyed spectating all sports, he was an avid supporter of his Arizona Wildcats.  Not only did he seem to memorize the schedules of upcoming athletic events, he also knew where each mechanical room was and could tell you where each piece of equipment was located throughout the 392-acre campus.  Bill was a knowledgeable and valuable resource to the department; he respected his colleagues, and enjoyed his job to the fullest. 

 

​There were many things Bill loved, but there was no comparison to the love he had for his family.  He was a loving and faithful husband to his wife Belinda, and a devoted and exemplary father to Benny and Gabi.  Everywhere he would go, you can be sure to see his family right by his side.  The words, "I love you and miss you" were expressed daily and, "Be a sponge and learn everything you can!" were his recited daily goodbyes to his children when leaving to school.  He shared many stories and proud moments about his family to his friends and co-workers.  So many were amazed at how much love and pride he had for his wife and children that each time they walked away from a conversation, it was like they knew his family, even without meeting them.  Although they enjoyed spending many outings attending recreational, collegiate, and professional sporting events, simply spending time with his family is what they all enjoyed the most.  He remains the love of their lives and left a legacy of sound advice, an inheritance of his good nature, honesty, and integrity his children can mirror.

 

​Although his life was cut far too short, in his 45 years, he made the most positive impact on the young men he coached, the co-workers he respected, the friends he adored, and the family he loved and cherished.  We love and miss him dearly and are honored to create this foundation in his name.  We did it all...for the love of Bill!