died on Sunday night, April 17, at Mercy South Hospital after a long battle with mesothelioma. Bill was a caring husband, a great Dad, a proud Veteran, and the best Paw Paw there ever was. He never met a stranger and would give the shirt off his back to help you. Bill grew up in St. Louis City before moving to Jefferson Barracks, where he met the love of his life Cathy Cliffe who lived just down the street. He was drafted into the Army out of high school and served in the Army during the Vietnam War. Bill and Cathy were married once he returned. He was a lithographer by trade for over 35 years. His absolute pride and joy were his 11 grandkids. He would brag about each and every one of them to anyone who would stand still. Bill grew up around cars, with his father owning a gas station and garage where he would work. He was a real “car guy,” frequently attending car cruises throughout the Midwest, and he was always on the lookout for cool cars when vacationing or even watching television and movies.
Bill was preceded in life by his father, Homer, his mother, Ruth, and his brother, Rich. Bill is survived by his wife Cathy, his children – Becky (Rob), Will (Brian), Carey (Rob), and Amanda (Tony), and his grandchildren – Kali, Kennedy, Grant, Riley, Braeden, Casen, Kai, Miles, Campbell, Dempsey, and Malaya.
Visitation will be held at Kutis Funeral Home, 5255 Lemay Ferry Road, on Tuesday, April 26, from 4-8 pm. A funeral mass in his honor will be held on Wednesday, April 27 at St. Bernadette 68 Sherman Ave, St. Louis, at 10 am, followed by a gathering. In lieu of flowers, the family is asking you to make a donation in Bill’s memory to either: Siteman Cancer Center which specializes in patient care, leading-edge research, education, and prevention programs. Or Humane Society of Missouri because he loved animals so much.