Bill was a mentor of mine. Bill was also a brilliant and creative attorney who was very loyal to his good friend, Peter W. Nauert, who predeceased him. Together, they helped gropw a small insurance company into a NYSE publicly traded stock insurance company, a very proud achievement for both. The stories of Bill and Peter were legendary at Pioneer. Few people gave enough credit to Bill in helping to build Pioneer, but Peter W. Nauert recognized to me and many others that he could not have done it without Bill as his counsel and dear friend.
Bill had a marvelous sense of humor and history. Bill also served our country as an Officer in the U.S. Navy and as a courageous member of an underwater demolition team in the most nobble of wars, WW II. Bill loved to tell the story how a ranking officer asked who wanted to lead the squadron, everyone took a step back except Bill. Hence, Bill became the Head Of The Squadron and the first in the water on each mission. Bill would chuckle each time he told the story. 
In the quiet moments Bill and I shared when we were eating dinner at his Club in Rockford, flying on Pioneer's Jet and on business trips, Bill would regale me with the stories of his children who he adored and loved. Though he loved each equally, I got to know Monica, Monica's husband, Pat, and Bill the best of all and they each shared with me at various times their true affection, admiration and love for their parents and Pat for his in-laws. It was laways heart-warming to hear.
Bill was a unique and uncommon man who epitomized "The Greatest Generation" which Tom Brokaw described so well. Bill left a legacy of warm, bright, creative and beautiful children as well as many who looked up to him as they pursued their own careers. Bill was an irreplaceable human being who will be missed by all who knew him well. As Bill would so often say:"G-d love you".

When Dad was discharged from the Navy, his papers included a personal note of thanks from the President of the United States, Harry Truman.  He received an honorable discharge and served on three different ships, the USS LST 607, USS LSM 393 and USS LST 588.  For his service Dad received the Vicroty Ribbon wor World War II and the American Theater Ribbon for the Asiatic Pacific.