William Halicy Mouser, Jr.

William Halicy Mouser, Jr. - “Politics is a dirty game," “Voted for the Orange-Haired One in the National," “I can die in Peace," “I don’t Effing Care, get over it!!” (These are from “Wild Bill’s last texts)

“Wild Bill” moved on to ride again with his best buddy and his baby brother on that great wide Milky way to traverse the universe in his unique way. Predeceased by his father, William H. Mouser, Sr. (2007), his Baby Brother, Aaron JB Mouser (1990), and his life-long best friend, sidekick and riding buddy, William Ray “Little Billy” Warner (2017).

He is survived by his best friend and ex-wife, Pam Mouser, his daughter, Sydnie, her two children, and his devoted nephew, “AJ” (for whom he stepped in when Aaron passed), a couple of close siblings and their families, a few “DNA” siblings, many, MANY friends and associates. (Gunsmiths, people in law enforcement, others not, musicians, shooting buddies).

A Marine to the end, a world-renowned Gunsmith, Leathercrafter, Musician and Artist, he was self-taught guitar player/Luthier . He survived many (SO Many!) things that he should have been considered a “Super Cat with unlimited lives”: being pushed out a second-story window at age 2, broken arm and concussion; served in the Marines in Vietnam; being hit on the shoulder of “spaghetti Junction” by a drunk driver @ 65 mph while afoot, setting a warning flare on the verge; near miss April 3, 1974, tornado while in the VA hospital on Zorn, with both legs in casts, in a wheelchair (There’s more that can never be disclosed!); while riding his Harley Shovel on Topanga Canyon, Canoga Park, his chain broke, his rear wheel locked up (approaching a red light while holding a bag of groceries for his baby brother between his knees) doing a 360 through the intersection to come to a stop on the other side without dropping or spilling the groceries; a run-in with a very large rattlesnake in Middlemarch Pass on his way to Tombstone, AZ from Sunsites, AZ - Bill’s gun won; a very near miss (INCHES!!!) at a weapons show in his sales territory when Some Idiot, who left a weapon loaded, dropped it, grabbed at it and it “went off by itself;” being hit by a car and pinned between the bumper of 2 cars on Second street in front of the OMNI hotel, broken leg; several (2-3?) Covid events 2021-2024; an Ascending Aortic Aneurysm in 2022; diagnosed with Non-small Cell Carcinoma Lung Cancer Stage 3a in 2023. He survived Cancer, got treated, pronounced cancer free October 2024, BUT the treatment contributed to his death.

He drove a Yellow Cab, played his guitar at several local venues, worked at Veterinary office, Floyd County Prosecutor office, Circle L Arms, Kiesler Arms (20 years as Law Enforcement sales, Gunsmith, appraiser), Stage Actor with Tombstone Repertory Company and in the Live re-enactments of the OK Corral in Tombstone, AZ, life-long member of VFW Post 147 (Jasper, IN), and lifelong member of the Blues Club, New Albany, IN. He will be sorely missed by all his friends, former co-workers and customers, Club members and his loving, supportive family.

Visitation will be from 9:00 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. on Saturday November 23, 2024 at Newcomer Cremations, Funerals & Receptions (3309 Ballard Lane, New Albany) with his funeral service taking place at 10:30 a.m. Burial with military honors will follow at Highland Memory Gardens (279 Landis Lane, Mt. Washington, KY).