In Loving Memory of Bill Fegan

William S. “Bill” Fegan, 93, died peacefully at his home in Raton, NM on Friday, January 29, 2021.

Bill was born in Palmyra, PA on March 9 of 1927 to William M. Fegan and Mary (Miller) Fegan. He graduated from Palmyra High School in 1945 and then earned his BA degree in literature from Juniata College in Pennsylvania in 1948. He then went to Florida and came across the Vagabond Players, a professional theater company wintering in St. Petersburg. He joined the company and that began his life in the “business” that spanned over 70 years.

Bill earned his Master’s Degree in Speech and Hearing Therapy, from the University of Alabama, in 1960. While in Tuscaloosa he began directing shows at Stillman College a small, African American school. He joined the Stillman faculty in the early 60’s and became a big part of the civil rights movement of the time by integrating theaters, casts and audiences.

During his career, Bill has produced, directed or acted in countless professional and amateur productions including national touring companies of Murder Among Friends starring Lana Turner and Blues in the Night starring Della Reese, Christmas Carol and dozens of productions for children’s theater. Bill organized a touring theater company, The Kaleidoscope Players and in 1963, the Kaleidoscopes presented a performance of Androcles and the Lion in the Shuler Theater in Raton. It was so successful that they returned the next summer for four shows and then in 1965 the company moved to Raton to help manage the Shuler and to do a summer repertory theater. Kaleidoscope would go on to be named the Official State Theater of NM by Governor Dave Cargo, and also win the Tajiri award for Outstanding Theater Company in the Rocky Mountain region and would tour the entire US and Canada.

Among his many awards, he was conferred an honorary doctorate from Juniata as “a man with a vision of the humanities in the hinterlands”, and has distinguished himself in the profession by being named Executive Director of the National Humanities Series for the Woodrow Wilson Foundation. Bill received the prestigious New Mexico Governors Award for Excellence in the Arts in 2007; and the Raton Treasure Award in 2001 as given by the Raton Arts Council.  He was a board member of the New Mexico Endowment for the Humanities, received the Markley Award and the Founders Award from the National Association of Campus Activities, the President’s Award by the Association of Performing Arts Presenters, and the highest of honors from the Western Arts Association, Midwest Arts Association and the Performing Arts Exchange.

During his career, he was also a booking agent who represented and promoted hundreds of world-class talented people including the likes of Don Shirley, Riders in the Sky, Jimmy Driftwood and The Chinese Golden Dragon Acrobats. Working for talent/booking agencies including the Alkahest Agency, Community Concerts and Allied Concerts, he also established his own agency, Bill Fegan Attractions, which he operated out of Dallas and then in 1987 was lured back to Raton at the invitation of the City and the Chamber of Commerce to manage both his agency and the Shuler Theater.

He inspired and taught both children and adults alike and through his love, passion and respect for all arts, he helped establish the Raton Arts Council, Raton Choral Society, Santa Fe Trail School for the Performing Arts, and the Shuler Restoration.  The recipients of his knowledge, talent and enthusiasm have gone on to make their own contributions to this world, and as a result of his lifetime of work, his legacy will live on, but his presence will be sorely missed.

Bill was preceded by his parents, and brother Richard Fegan. He is survived by sister Janice and husband H.B. “Bake” Layman of Penn Laird, VA, nieces, nephews, cousins and hundreds upon hundreds of friends and talented individuals that crossed paths with Bill in this journey.

Cremation has taken place and a celebration of Bill’s life is being planned later in the summer at the Shuler Theater. In lieu of flowers, please make contributions to the Shuler Restoration, P.O. Box 638, Raton, NM. 87740 in Bill’s honor.

Arrangements are under the direction of the Yaksich-Long Funeral Home of Raton.