Birthplace: S a n L u i s O b i s p o, California, USA
Date of Birth: 2/18/23
Better known as 'Big Bill', he was the kindest and most accepting person I've ever known, even if he was my dad. He worked hard to raise his family, to teach his children respect and love for others, to appreciate the simplest things in life, and to accept people for what they were. He affected the life of everyone he came in touch with just by his smile.
Big Bill and his dad, Rudy, were as different as day and night. Rudy had a strong work ethic and was very business minded. On the other hand, Big Bill believed in hard work and supporting his family, but relaxation was more his style. He enjoyed his company and opening his house to whatever family, friends, or friends of friends happened to show up. He was the same at the Ranch. Where Rudy was constantly vigilante of what was going on at the Ranch, Bill enjoyed the moment with everyone and with whatever was going on. When we were young, he enjoyed nothing better than throwing us kids in the back the pickup and heading for the Ranch. We got excited just on the ride to Ranch, going up the Grade with the hot wind blowing and waving at the truck drivers as we passed. Then going through the town gate down the dirt road looking anxiously to see who would see the first deer. Occasionally, dad would put his foot to the gas and he'd fishtail the old Ford pickup in the dirt as we held on for our lives and screamed with excitement. And that was just the drive out.
Dad also enjoyed his friends as well as he enjoyed a drink, any kind of drink at anytime. Nothing made his day more than a highball or a glass of wine after work with a friend. It was his love of the drink that got him interested in making home brew. One day dad's neighbor was talking about an old German potato beer recipe that had been in his family for many years that he used make home brew at his house. That's all dad needed to hear, so he talked the neighbor into giving him the recipe and that recipe fueled the Estrada home brewery business. The brew masters were dad and his other neighbor, Wesley Hildenbrand. The brewery was the old garage in our backyard which was supplied with 10 and 20 gallon ceramic crocks, 50 cases of 11 oz stubby bottles, surgical hoses, bottle cappers, and other supplies to complete the process. And the brewery crew, well that was Mom and us kids. And when potatoes got brewing and the hydrometer indicated it was time to bottle, the crew bottled; 6:00 PM in the evening or 2:00 AM in the morning. The kids were waked up still in their pajamas and started filling the bottles, capping them, and placing them in the cases…..Dad always taste tested them maintaining the quality control. After bottling and cleanup, we would head off to school. Dad and Wesley made 40 cases of home brew one year for hunting season, and by the end of the season most of the beer was gone. To get an idea how potent the beer was just read the biography on John Correia and you'll get a pretty good idea.
Home brew was only one of dad's favorites; dad also liked his wine. He and Wesley used to save empty gallon wine jugs and take their empty bottles to Pesenti's Winery to be refilled with the latest vintage of burgundy or zinfandel. The cost for the 'nectar of the gods' was a $1.00 a gallon, if you brought your own jug, otherwise, it was another twenty-five cents. That jug of wine sat religiously on the floor under the dinner table, right next to the old man's foot. We never did understand why that jug was on the floor; we didn't know if he was afraid we'd drink it if it sat on the table; whether he thought it was polite to keep it out of sight; or probably the most likely reason, it was always conveniently within the old man's reach when he needed it.
When Bill made you his friend, you were a friend for life. He had childhood friends that he was close to over 50 years and stayed in contact with until the day he died. Edsel Jorgesen, Wally Pfleghaar, and Murray Hathway were some of Bill's closest friends. Murray and Bill were so close, as kids they would sit next to each other in the outhouse, which back then had two seats, and read the Sears catalog. I'm not sure if they actually read the catalog or looked at the pictures, but they're the only two I had ever known to be in that outhouse at the same time. That's a close friend!! As they got older and a little slower, they would sit side by side outside the Ranch's kitchen window and both 'cough' simultaneously as a signal they needed something to drink. This 'coughing' would go on until they got someone's attention and their glasses refilled. It reminded me of when a dog barks to get fed. Nevertheless, the coughing spells kept them from getting up and kept them well hydrated during those hot days.
As I noted earlier, absolutely everybody loved Big Bill. No finer or kinder man, husband, or father every existed.
Bill Jr. 2003
