Bill was born on May 27, 1949 in South Kingstown, RI, the third child of the late Frank and Barbara Card of Bradford, RI. After high school, Bill attended many levels of training at the US Merchant Marine Maritime Training and Education Center in Piney Point MD, where he achieved the highest deck crew rank of Recertified Bosun, that of the supervisor of the deck crew. Bill was a US Merchant Marine for 42 years, where he traveled the world and supported our service people and country in the Vietnam War and Operation Desert Storm. Bill always came home with stories and pictures of the many places he had been and his experiences around the world.

Bill met his wife, Pam, a Chicago native, the summer of 1985 in Chesterfield, IN and they married on June 21, 1987 in New Orleans, LA. They were married 23 and a half years, and moved to Ponte Vedra Beach, FL in July of 1988, where their daughter Danielle was born in 1989.

Bill was a loving husband, father, son, brother, and uncle and treasured his family relationships. He will be remembered often for his sense of humor, vibrant sense of life, positive outlook and enduring love for his family. Bill enjoyed visiting family, swimming and boogie-boarding at the beach, scuba diving, skiing, and playing cards with his family. Bill also enjoyed working with wood and gardening.

Bill passed away peacefully on Monday, March 7, 2011 at the McGraw Center of the Northeast Community Hospice, Jacksonville, FL surrounded by his loving family.

Bill is survived by his loving family, including his wife, Pamela, and daughter, Danielle, both of Ponte Vedra Beach, FL; his sister, Bonnie Shawn of Westerly, RI; his in-laws, Fred and Erna Simon of Arden, NC; and many nieces, nephews and great-nieces and nephews. He has a large extended family in Rhode Island, New York, New Hampshire, California, Oregon and Ireland, as well as good friends in Rhode Island and New Orleans, LA. He was preceded in death by his father Frank Kenneth Card (2007), his mother, Barbara Rose Card (2008), and his brother Frank Edward Card (2009).

His family would like to thank the Pain Management team, Palliative Care team, and the 5 South nursing staff at Mayo Hospital, along with the staff at the McGraw Hospice Center for their kind and heartfelt care for Bill.

A celebration of his life memorial service was held on April 3, 2011 at the Ponte Vedra Valley, a Family Funeral Home.

A Memorial Fund for Bill has been set up for his family through Wachovia Bank, and in lieu of flowers, please consider donating to the fund. Checks can be made out to the William J Card Memorial Fund and sent to: Wachovia Bank, 601 US Highway A1A North, Ponte Vedra Beach, FL 32082, Phone: 904-361-2090. Or you can also contribute in the following ways: At a Wachovia branch bank, or you can donate through Paypal by clicking on the Send Money Online button and click that it is for Friends and Family, then continue and when prompted for an email address, use the address WJCardMemorial@gmail.com This email is linked directly to the William J Card Memorial Fund.

Please visit our online tribute at www.pontevedravalley.com for more information regarding his celebration of life memorial service.  Arrangements are under the care and direction of Ponte Vedra Valley, a Family Funeral Home.