William “Bill” James Eichhorn, 61, of Escalon, California passed away on October 29, 2025.
Bill was born on March 15, 1964 to Ruth and Edgar Eichhorn in Spokane, Washington. Much of his youth was devoted to service to the Catholic Church with his family. As a teen, Bill enjoyed playing guitar, caring for his pet dove, and fly-fishing with his father (often tempting fate in the deeper waters).
After Bill graduated from Granada High School in 1982, he went on to study Agricultural Science at Modesto Junior College. Bill enjoyed horticulture and participated in plant identification contests; it was a passion that persisted through his life, as anyone who had sampled the products from his garden could attest.
Bill enjoyed the great outdoors, camping with his family and teaching his children how to fish. The family was always off on an “adventure.”
Bill met Denise Artherton-Eichhorn during a night out line-dancing. He called his mother that night to tell her he had “found the woman he was going to marry.” The couple tied the knot at the Escalon Sportsman’s Club on April 14, 2001. Together, Bill and Denise raised five children.
Bill was a thoughtful and loving parent. Whether it was football, cheer, or polka dancing, Bill always supported his children’s hobbies. He taught his sons to be gentlemen and his daughters to be strong. His love was limitless and he always knew how to make everyone laugh. There was never a dull moment in the Artherton-Eichhorn house.
As the years went by and the children began families of their own, Bill spent more time traveling with his wife or tending to his produce garden, dogs, and chickens. Bill could often be found tinkering in the kitchen dehydrating jerky, smoking fish, or baking zucchini bread (made with his own home-grown zucchinis and eggs!) or dozing off in his recliner watching NASCAR (nap-car, as he would call it).
Bill is survived by his wife: Denise Artherton-Eichhorn; children: JJ (Jacki) Eichhorn, Brittany (Justin) Pater, Jeremy (Jessica) Artherton, Joshua (Erica) Artherton, and Rachel (Brock) Costalupes; brother: John (Anne) Eichhorn, and sisters Connie (Alan) Gazaway, Mary (Rob) Costa, and Jenni (Ted) Bettger; in-laws: Glenn, Terri, Craig, and Sonja Van Ruler; eight nieces and nephews; and countless friends.
Most of all, Bill loved being a grandfather to his 12 grandchildren: Ryan and Nolan Pater; Maya, Paisley, and Ella Artherton; Savanna, Stellah, Jackson, and Delainey Eichhorn; Dominic and David Artherton; and Grey Costalupes.
Please join the family in celebrating the life of Bill Eichhorn on November 9, 2025 between 11 a.m. and 3 p.m. at the Escalon Sportsman’s Club.
The Escalon (Calif.) Times
Nov. 5, 2025
