Dr. William David O'Halloran DPM

Dr. William (Bill) David O’Halloran, DPM, of Fort Collins, Colorado, died suddenly on April 29, 2024, in Frisco, Colorado, of a cardiac arrest from a heart attack. Bill was 77 years old. Bill was born to Leona Mae O’Halloran and William Joseph O’Halloran on August 23, 1946, in Boulder, Colorado. He was the first of their four children. When Bill was a toddler, his father returned to active duty in the United States Navy as a submariner. Bill was particularly proud of his father’s participation in the development of the USS Nautilus, the first nuclear submarine. Bill’s childhood was spent as a Navy “brat” taking him from the Atlantic coast to the Pacific. He developed a passion for the oceans. During many summers, his parents would load Bill and his three sisters into the station wagon and drive to Colorado to visit relatives. Bill has deep family roots in Colorado, going back to 1858 on his mother’s side. During those summers, Bill explored the area around Jamestown where his grandparents had a small cabin. This is where Bill developed one of his other great passions, his love for the Rocky Mountains and all the adventures they had to offer. Bill was always studying something. He had a need to go in-depth into many subjects. By the time he was twelve, Bill had a perfectly curated and preserved collection of bugs from the Chesapeake Bay area of Maryland. Entomologists from the Smithsonian Institute even wanted to add it to their collection. While living in Connecticut, young Bill learned much of his love and respect for nature from Chief Tantaquidgeon of the Mohegan Tribe. At fourteen Bill studied falconry and became one of the youngest falconers in the United States. After Bill graduated from Monterey High School, he went to one year of junior college. In 1965, he enlisted in the Navy and became a submariner like his father. He had several tours patrolling the waters off Vietnam and then was stationed in Hawaii for the remainder of his service. He spent as much time as he could surfing. Bill moved to Colorado in 1969 to be close to family and to attend Colorado State University, where he earned a Bachelor of Science in Biology and his teaching credentials. After graduation, Bill taught at Steamboat Springs High School where he met his future wife, Karin Smith. He eventually took the science teacher position at Vail Mountain School. Bill and Karin were married June 13, 1975. After several years of teaching, Bill decided to change careers. He enrolled in the California College of Podiatric Medicine in San Francisco. He graduated in 1981 with a doctorate in Podiatric Medicine and a minor in Sports Medicine. Bill and Karin’s son, Birk O’Halloran, was born on September 21, 1983. After a three-year surgical residency at the VA Hospital in South San Francisco Bill, Karin, and Birk moved to Denver, Colorado, where Bill joined a podiatry practice. In 1986 Bill and Karin established their own practice, The Foot of the Mountain Clinic, in Fort Collins, Colorado. They ran it successfully together for the next 33 years. Bill was on staff at Poudre Valley Hospital where he was a podiatric surgeon. Eventually, his caring nature brought him to specialize in wound care at the hospital's wound care clinic where he worked for over twenty years. He was a deeply respected member of the Fort Collins medical community and turned countless colleagues into dear friends over his career. Bill and Karin’s daughter, Breila O’Halloran was born on April 6, 1991. Bill loved his family. Birk and Breila were the lights of his life. He loved taking them on his many adventures and spending time with them. His three grandsons brought even more joy. He was happy that the O’Halloran name would live on through them. Bill was proud of his Irish heritage and enjoyed being a member of the O’Halloran Clan: his mom and dad, three sisters, and lots of nieces and nephews, and great-nieces and great-nephews. He will always be remembered for the joy he took in the many family gatherings on holidays, birthdays, and no-day-in-particular gatherings at his parents’ home, regaling everyone with his puns, stories, and details of his latest interests. Bill was a loving son. During the Covid pandemic, Bill helped to care for his father in his final months of life, so his father could stay at home surrounded by loved ones. After his father passed away, Bill was his mother’s rock, visiting her often, helping to maintain her home, and being her chauffeur. In 2019, Bill sold his podiatry practice, leaving him more time to pursue his love of the ocean, conservation, and biology. He loved being out at sea and under sail or doing research about how to help save the oceans. Many people will remember Bill for his adventuresome spirit. He was always trying to recruit someone to join him on one of his many, many adventures. Bill was a skier, both downhill and cross-country. He was an ice climber and rock climber. He loved to race his sailboat, scuba, and surf. He was an avid runner and hiker. Through it all Bill collected friends the way most people collect souvenirs. Bill spent his last day, like so many in his life, adventuring in his beloved Rocky Mountains. Right to the end, he was doing what he loved, eating, drinking, and telling stories in the company of friends. Bill is survived by his wife, Karin (Smith) O’Halloran, son, Birk (Lisa), daughter, Breila O’Halloran, his three grandsons, Teig, Aidan, and Seamus O’Halloran, his beloved mother, Leona (Hertzke) O’Halloran, his three sisters, Kathleen Peel (Larry), Annnie Schlax, and Bethany O’Halloran, and many nephews and nieces, great-nephews and great-nieces. If you wish to honor Bill’s memory, donations made in his name to one of the many causes he was so passionate about will be greatly appreciated: Ocean Missions (https://oceanmissions.org/make-a-donation/) Community Sailing of Colorado (https://www.communitysailing.org/donation/) Rocky Mountain Conservancy (https://rmconservancy.org/join-or-give/donate/) Draken Viking Sailing (https://www.drakenhh.com/donate)

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Dr. William David O'Halloran DPM

August 23, 1946 - April 29, 2024