William "Bill" Via

William Earl Via (Bill)
Keep on truckin’, good buddy

William Earl Via (Bill) (81), of Ogden, Utah, passed away on his last magic mile, logbook in shape, on Friday, April 4, 2025. He was born on May 14, 1943, the oldest of three children born to Adolph Louis Via and Margaret Ann Stoffers Via. He was born and raised in his beloved Los Banos, California, where he and his siblings (Peggy and Mike) grew up on the farm. They often went deep-sea fishing near Monterey after delivering the Sunday edition of the Sacramento Bee. Bill loved his tractors and often shared his beloved John Deere collection with his grandchildren.

His master’s degree led him to his favorite job at Thiokol, where he worked on rocket boosters for the space program. He also enjoyed driving trucks, logging millions of backroad miles across the United States and Canada. He especially enjoyed working for Bingham Livestock and his very own company, Bill Via & Sons Trucking. His interests included woodworking, golf, guns, the ‘49ers, NASCAR, CB, Ham, and FRS radios. Bill was a convert to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, specializing in emergency communication (ERC) and working with Weber County. Our family sends a special shout-out to his wonderful radio team buddies.

Bill met his love later in life, and they were married for over 35 years. He is survived by his wife, Christine Abeyta-Via, and children Amanda (Jordan) Jeppson, Jennifer Davis, Becky (Jeremy) Dearden, and his California crew— Billy Jr., Annie, and Lori. He also leaves behind 16 grandchildren and 5 great-grandchildren. He was preceded in death by sons, Abe and John, and a daughter, Kathy.

A private family memorial service will be held, and interment will occur at Evergreen Memorial Cemetery. Our family extends heartfelt thanks to the many health professionals, friends, and family members who have cared for him during this difficult time. 10-4, dear Bill—please give our love to your mom and dad, Abel, John, Kathy, and others.