William (Bill) Albert McCullough, III, age 88, passed peacefully from this life on Saturday, December 31, 2016 and was joyously reunited with his beloved wife, Shirley, who preceded him in death earlier in the year.

Bill was born August 2, 1928 in Salt Lake City, Utah the last of four boys of Jesse Lamar McCullough and Laura Ann (Barney) McCullough.  Bill graduated from East High School in Salt Lake City in June 1945.

He met the love of his life, Shirley Oline (Adams) McCullough, at a church dance at the Sugar House Ward of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints.  Bill was 17 and Shirley was 15.  They spent much of their courtship at dances and church gatherings.  After courting for two and a half years they exchanged vows in the home of Bill’s parents on October 27, 1948 and were married for time and all eternity in the Salt Lake City Temple on September 30, 1970.  They were happily married and inseparable for 67 years and raised a wonderful family of six children in a home always filled with abundant love and laughter.

Bill and Shirley moved to Richland after the birth of their oldest daughter, Kathy, in August 1951 to work on the Hanford Project.  This was planned to be temporary as they desired to return to Salt Lake City to be near family but Bill started on a career path that was very rewarding and they grew to love the Tri-Cities and eventually considered it their home.  Bill worked as a Reactor Specialist, Reactor Operator, and Planning Engineer.  As a result of his positions he operated eight of the nine functioning reactors and was a planner/scheduler for the ninth.  Bill retired December 31, 1994 just shy of 44 years of employment at Hanford.  After retirement Bill and Shirley continued to travel throughout the U.S.  He also had great passion for the historical aspects of Hanford and was a member of the B Reactor Museum Association (BRMA) which worked to establish the B Reactor as part of the Manhattan Project National Historical Park.

Bill had many interests including landscaping, photography, family history, camping, and home improvement; but his and Shirley’s greatest passion was their family.  Every summer was spent enjoying the family and the great outdoors of the beautiful Northwest.  Many miles were traveled in a camper seeking out new adventures or in a boat on the Columbia or Snake rivers skiing or fishing.  Because of their passion, they instilled a love of nature to their children and created an environment for their children to become best friends that has forged lifetime relationships.

He was a loving husband, father, grandfather, and great grandfather.  He leaves behind six children Kathy Sansotta (Dominic), Debra Bleazard (Karl), David McCullough (Ranae), Carol Pope (Jack), James McCullough (Linda), and Darla Sharp (Reed) as well as loving sons and daughters-in-law, 26 grandchildren, and 36 great grandchildren.

Funeral services will be held Saturday, January 7, 2016 at the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, Jadwin Chapel, 1321 Jadwin Ave., Richland, WA.  Visitation will begin at 9:00 am with a funeral service at 10:00 am.