William “Bill” Cairns

William Wayne “Bill” Cairns returned to his loving Heavenly Father Monday evening, January 3, 2022. It seems ironic that a small blood clot could take down the greatest and biggest heart in the world within minutes.

Bill was born November 5, 1955, in Rawlins, Wyoming. He was the fifth of six children born to Jack Lavoy and Beverly Ann Johnson Cairns. Growing up with four sisters and one brother, he stayed busy playing all kinds of sports, riding his bike and walking paper routes, helping at the family’s lumber yard, and spending time in the mountains, hunting and camping with both sets of grandparents. He was student body president and graduated a proud “Outlaw” from Rawlins High School and headed to Utah State University for a year before serving a two year mission in the Uruguay/Paraguay mission for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

Upon returning from his mission, he returned to USU where he was active in student council, church activities, passing classes, and waiting patiently for Kae Porter to say yes! Bill and Kae were married July 27, 1979, in the St. George, Utah, Temple. They lived in Logan while he finished his Social Studies Composite and Spanish Minor before moving to Blackfoot, Idaho, to begin his teaching legacy.

During his time at Snake River, three children, Darci, Jace, and Brindi, joined the family. These ten years, with family in tow, were filled with Bill’s active involvement. In addition to teaching, he coached a variety of sports and advised Student Government. Bill also served as Stake Young Men’s President, on the High Council, in a Bishopric, and completed his Master’s Degree from Idaho State University!

Bill took a job at Clair E. Gale Jr. High in 1991 as an Assistant Principal. The family moved to Idaho Falls the next spring. In 1995, he moved to Skyline High School, where he would spend the next 25 years involved with Student Government, leadership, Renaissance, overseeing games, concerts, plays, dances, and encouraging students to reach their greatest potential. He was the Idaho Association of Student Council’s President for six years where he trained and worked with student councils statewide. He also served on the National Board of Student Councils for three years. He was selected as the Assistant Principal of the Year for the state of Idaho in 2010. He was instrumental in bringing STEM education to Idaho, working with INL and with school districts across the state. He would say he never worked a day in his life!

He was transferred to Idaho Falls High School in 2013. Apprehensive, because he bled blue, he found friendships, warmth, and acceptance. He loved it! After four years of having great experiences at IF, he went back to Skyline to be the Athletic Director in 2017. He retired at the end of that next school year.

Bill loved serving in a variety of church callings. He spent years in the Young Men’s, teaching Sunday School and Primary, and serving on the Stake High Council. While serving as a Bishop, he was both Bishop and Assistant Principal to many. Bill had just been released from serving on a High Council at BYU-Idaho. If asked, he would proudly claim serving with the scouts and in primary were his favorite callings.

There was nothing Bill loved more than his family. He encouraged their involvement, helped coach, advise, organize, and carry-out their activities, games, and crazy brained ideas. He gave the best bear hugs. He always had a listening ear, kind lesson, and a silly song. He and Kae welcomed everyone into their home. He loved watching football (especially Utah State), wood working, traveling, and dutch-oven cooking.

Bill is survived by his loving wife of 42 years, Kae P. Cairns of Idaho Falls; daughter, Darci Orchard of Idaho Falls; son, Jace (Laken) Cairns of North Ogden, Utah; daughter, Brindi (Shawn) Horn of Idaho Falls; and grandchildren, McKenzi, Porter, and Emmalee Orchard; Kasten, Paxsten, and Evelynn Horn, and Collins, Wilder, and Austin Cairns.

He was preceded in death by his father, Jack Lavoy Cairns, his mother, Beverly Ann Cairns, and his sister, Christine Marie Campbell.

Services will be held at 11:00 a.m. Saturday, January 15, 2022, at Eagle Rock Stake Center, 2020 South Charlotte Drive. The family will visit with friends and family from 6:00 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. Friday, January 14, 2022, at Wood Funeral Home, 273 North Ridge Avenue, and Saturday, prior to the funeral, from 10:00 a.m. to 10:45 a.m. at the church. Burial will be in the New Sweden Cemetery.

In lieu of flowers, we would love to gather backpacks full of school supplies to help those in need. These can be brought to the funeral home Friday evening, or brought to the church Saturday before 10:30 a.m. Donations can also be made in his name to a local school or community food bank.