Bill was a good friend and my fraternity brother at Pi Kappa Alpha in Champaign. Bill, Mark Steinberg, myself and two other Pike brothers shared a duplex during the 1966-1967 school year. He was a very easy guy to live with and had a great sense of humor. I last saw him and his wife Carol in 1970 when I was in graduate school at Northwestern and he was going to law school while working as a mechanical engineer at International Harvester. We lost track of each other when I went to Arizona. I'll always have good memories of him.
I knew Bill from Lincoln grade school and all through high school. Bill played football and was an intense competitor. After high school we played in a 16" softball league at Carol playground located next to Lincoln grade school. Bill played first base, Paul Calabrese pitched and I think that Gene Wong played short stop. I was the catcher. I can't remember the rest of the team members but a lot of them were from the 'south side' of Oak Park. We had a very good team and ticked off many teams with our relaxed and non serious style of play when we beat them. Again, Wendell was a fierce competitor.
When we were in college and on summer break, we had a number of parties at his house when his parents spent the month of August in Florida. His Dad retired from International Harvester. Bill was an interesting guy. I enjoyed his humor. A number of years ago (maybe at the ten year OPHS reunion) I had heard that he and his wife had been killed in an automobile crash. He was a patent attorney for International Harvester at the time of his death if my memory serves me correctly.
Bill and I were friends in grammar school but went our separate ways in Jr. High. I was on the other 16" softball team from Carroll Playground. We were considered the bad boys and most of the other teams including yours and particularly Bill hated us. I can remember how rough those games got sometimes. One in particular, Bill's mother came onto the field and started screaming at us for playing dirty. It was pretty hilarious. Bill was a good guy though even as a tough competitor. I played 2nd base and that last year we ended up in the playoffs against a team made up of Fenwick guys. We lost in the last inning. What a great time in our lives.
I did a search for Bill on the Internet this morning and found that he was International Harvester's agent on a number of patents granted through about 1980. After that, I found no further references to him. I was unable to find an obituary, so I don't know how old he was when he died. The last time I saw him, he was very excited about the fact that Harvester was going to pay for his law school education and that he would go back to work for them when he finished. However brief his life way, he clearly made good use of it.
I remember his mother well. She would come with his father to visit us at our apartment in Urbana. She made the best German Chocolate Cake. The only problem was that it rarely lasted more than a day! His dad was a great guy as well. They were a great family, and it was good to have known them, if only briefly.
I too knew Bill thoughout grammar school and high school. I was on the same 16" softball team and played short center field. I was also in his wedding when he married Carol. Sadly, that marriage did not last. I remember getting wasted at a party at his apartment the night before the 10th reunion. I was miserable all day Saturday but perked up just in time to attend the reunion. I recall Bill was working out east somehere (I think in New Jersey) whrn he and his fiance were killed in a collision with a drunk driver. So sad. We had a lot of good times together.
My memory seems to be coming back with the comments presented by others. I think when we were in HS when Ron Yori, Bill, and I would go to a shooting range somewhere in the area and shoot our .22 cal pistols. While the cost of the range was nominal, Bill decided that we could save money by target shooting in his basement. Bill designed and built a steel box that would render the .22 cal rounds harmless so we proceeded to have target practice in his basement. This worked fine until one round ricocheted and pierced the old gas meter that was located inside the basement. I recall Mr. Wendell being a little upset with our antics and our indoor shooting range came to an end. Mrs. Wendell was a sweet lady but his Dad was not to be messed with!
Of course, we thought the whole episode rather humorous. We were fortunate that the home didn't suffer severe damage....and no one got hurt. Wendell was a character to say the least!
I did not know Bill well. Our paths didn't cross in school. But I remember him for this reason:
In the summer before senior year, I got a job at the McDonald's on Roosevelt near Harlem. I was having a terrible time there. I seemed to screw up everything, and the shift manager was very down on me. Bill was working there, too, and he reached out to offer a helping hand, to commiserate and to do what he could to get management off my back. He was the only one who reached out. So, while I don't remember the name of anybody else who worked there, except one guy I knew before, I guess I will always remember him. He deserves to be remembered.
I had such a huge crush on Bill during high school. We dated for a while. John S - you and I were such good friends during our school years. Hope you're still having as much fun. Teri Stern
Martin Topper
Bill was a good friend and my fraternity brother at Pi Kappa Alpha in Champaign. Bill, Mark Steinberg, myself and two other Pike brothers shared a duplex during the 1966-1967 school year. He was a very easy guy to live with and had a great sense of humor. I last saw him and his wife Carol in 1970 when I was in graduate school at Northwestern and he was going to law school while working as a mechanical engineer at International Harvester. We lost track of each other when I went to Arizona. I'll always have good memories of him.
Donald York
I knew Bill from Lincoln grade school and all through high school. Bill played football and was an intense competitor. After high school we played in a 16" softball league at Carol playground located next to Lincoln grade school. Bill played first base, Paul Calabrese pitched and I think that Gene Wong played short stop. I was the catcher. I can't remember the rest of the team members but a lot of them were from the 'south side' of Oak Park. We had a very good team and ticked off many teams with our relaxed and non serious style of play when we beat them. Again, Wendell was a fierce competitor.
When we were in college and on summer break, we had a number of parties at his house when his parents spent the month of August in Florida. His Dad retired from International Harvester. Bill was an interesting guy. I enjoyed his humor. A number of years ago (maybe at the ten year OPHS reunion) I had heard that he and his wife had been killed in an automobile crash. He was a patent attorney for International Harvester at the time of his death if my memory serves me correctly.
Ronald Yori
Bill, Mike Payne and I would go fishing in northern Michigan. Bill was an avid fisherman and we had some great times up there.
Don, I was the second baseman on that softball team.
Barry Scheftel
Bill and I were friends in grammar school but went our separate ways in Jr. High. I was on the other 16" softball team from Carroll Playground. We were considered the bad boys and most of the other teams including yours and particularly Bill hated us. I can remember how rough those games got sometimes. One in particular, Bill's mother came onto the field and started screaming at us for playing dirty. It was pretty hilarious. Bill was a good guy though even as a tough competitor. I played 2nd base and that last year we ended up in the playoffs against a team made up of Fenwick guys. We lost in the last inning. What a great time in our lives.
Martin Topper
I did a search for Bill on the Internet this morning and found that he was International Harvester's agent on a number of patents granted through about 1980. After that, I found no further references to him. I was unable to find an obituary, so I don't know how old he was when he died. The last time I saw him, he was very excited about the fact that Harvester was going to pay for his law school education and that he would go back to work for them when he finished. However brief his life way, he clearly made good use of it.
I remember his mother well. She would come with his father to visit us at our apartment in Urbana. She made the best German Chocolate Cake. The only problem was that it rarely lasted more than a day! His dad was a great guy as well. They were a great family, and it was good to have known them, if only briefly.
John Staehle
I too knew Bill thoughout grammar school and high school. I was on the same 16" softball team and played short center field. I was also in his wedding when he married Carol. Sadly, that marriage did not last. I remember getting wasted at a party at his apartment the night before the 10th reunion. I was miserable all day Saturday but perked up just in time to attend the reunion. I recall Bill was working out east somehere (I think in New Jersey) whrn he and his fiance were killed in a collision with a drunk driver. So sad. We had a lot of good times together.
Donald York
My memory seems to be coming back with the comments presented by others. I think when we were in HS when Ron Yori, Bill, and I would go to a shooting range somewhere in the area and shoot our .22 cal pistols. While the cost of the range was nominal, Bill decided that we could save money by target shooting in his basement. Bill designed and built a steel box that would render the .22 cal rounds harmless so we proceeded to have target practice in his basement. This worked fine until one round ricocheted and pierced the old gas meter that was located inside the basement. I recall Mr. Wendell being a little upset with our antics and our indoor shooting range came to an end. Mrs. Wendell was a sweet lady but his Dad was not to be messed with!
Of course, we thought the whole episode rather humorous. We were fortunate that the home didn't suffer severe damage....and no one got hurt. Wendell was a character to say the least!
Martin Gottlieb
I did not know Bill well. Our paths didn't cross in school. But I remember him for this reason:
In the summer before senior year, I got a job at the McDonald's on Roosevelt near Harlem. I was having a terrible time there. I seemed to screw up everything, and the shift manager was very down on me. Bill was working there, too, and he reached out to offer a helping hand, to commiserate and to do what he could to get management off my back. He was the only one who reached out. So, while I don't remember the name of anybody else who worked there, except one guy I knew before, I guess I will always remember him. He deserves to be remembered.
Teri Stern (Denlinger)
I had such a huge crush on Bill during high school. We dated for a while. John S - you and I were such good friends during our school years. Hope you're still having as much fun.Teri Stern