William Looper Sr., 73, had owned Bill’s Tire Shop

Wil­liam “Bill” Looper Sr., a longtime resident of Maricopa, passed away July 1 at home from leukemia. He was 73.

Bill was a steelworker for 20 years before be­coming sole proprietor of Bill’s Tire Shop in Maricopa.

Bill enjoyed fishing, hunt­ing and playing pool. His family remembers him as kind and giv­ing, taking food to needy families in his spare time.

He is survived by his wife Audrey Looper; three children, William Looper Jr., Corena Gar­za and Jeffrey Looper; five grandchildren, Kristie Garza, Chelsea Looper, Benjamin Gar­za, Jordynn Looper and Tyler Looper; and three great grandchildren, Braden Tisdale, Jensen Stanton and Berkley Tisdale.

He is also sur­vived by three brothers, Joe Looper, Jim Looper and Danny Looper.

Family members offered their remembrances of Bill.

“There was always love,” said his wife Audrey.

“Dad was my rock,” said his son Bill. “He always had my back and I always had his.”

“He once explained a father’s love to me,” recalled his daughter Corena. “He said, ‘I created you. You could kill me and I would die loving you.'”

Bill’s grandchildren had their own memories as well.

“He was the best grandpa I ever could have asked for,” Kristie said.

“He always said I was the mean one,” Chelsea remembered. “Haha.”

“He was always there for me,” grandson Ben added. “If I needed help I knew I could always count on grandpa.”

And grandson Tyler remember the nickname his grandpa had for him – for a while at least.

“He always use to call me Squirt. Until I got to the age where I was taller than him,” he remembered.

“I’m trying to think of things he’d say but I’m drawing a blank. Just his laugh comes to mind. He was conscientious and thorough in anything that applied to him or his family.”

Per Bill’s wishes there will be no funeral ser­vices, his family said.