William Victor (Bill) Gillmore of Laketown Township, Michigan, passed away in his home on Sunday, November 28, 2021. Bill was one of two children to Victor & Stephanie Gillmore (née Hnatio, later Stephanie Albertson), along with his sister, Toni Bourque. Bill & Toni were also stepchildren to their beloved stepfather, Stan Albertson.
Bill is survived by his loving wife of 53 years, Linda (Lin) Gillmore (née McArt), and their children William (Ryan) Gillmore and Keri Vietti. Ryan and his wife Heidi Gillmore (née Bruch) have two children, Elizabeth (Ellie) and Grace. Keri and her husband Kevin Vietti have three children, Connor, William (Liam), and Emma.
Bill is also survived by Lin's brother, Don McArt, and sisters, Barb Lewis and Tina Van Cleave, whom he loved and thought of more as his own direct siblings, than as in-laws. He was preceded in death by his parents, as well as his father and mother-in-law, Benjamin and Lillian McArt (née Crawford).
Bill was born in Chicago, Illinois on July 13, 1946. He was raised in Livonia, Michigan, a graduate of Bentley High School in 1964. He graduated from Michigan State University in 1968 with a BS in Packaging Engineering, before joining Quaker Oats. He served in Vietnam with the US Army's 25th Infantry in 1970-71. He earned his MBA from Northern Illinois University. After leaving Quaker Oats in 1996, he worked for Field Container Company and the American Bottling Company, before joining Rich Products in Buffalo, NY, where he remained until his retirement in 2012. Over their 53 years together, Bill & Lin lived in Buffalo Grove, IL, Arlington Heights, IL, Naperville, IL, and Orchard Park, NY, before retiring to Saugatuck, MI.
Throughout his career, Bill was a mentor to many. His encouragement & advice benefited colleagues, friends, and family members, both personally and professionally. He was an eloquent, thoughtful communicator, who instilled a strong appreciation for education in his kids, grandkids, nieces, and nephews. He carried his commitment to mentoring & stewardship through to his support and leadership roles at the Uhlich Children's Advantage Network (UCAN) in Chicago, and Every Person Influences Children (EPIC) in Buffalo.
Bill was a life-long music enthusiast, and was a terrific piano & organ player. He would entertain family & friends for hours, and has sparked an interest in music and musical theatre within his kids & grandkids. He was also a lover of all animals, and throughout his life was a caring "dad/ granddad" (sometimes with feigned reluctance) to dogs, cats, hamsters, and a few rabbits. He is survived by his devoted canine companion, Molly.
Bill was an avid fan of all Chicago & MSU sports, a Chicago Bears ticket holder for more than 30 years, and a dedicated supporter of any sporting activities of his kids and grandkids. He organized many Uncle Bill Outings (UBO's) for his nieces, nephews, and great nieces (Sandy, Lisa, Alayna, Lydia, Ben, Matt, Chris, John, and Dan). In his retirement, he assumed the role of "Chief Fun Officer" for his grandkids, who called him "Pop." Later in life, he discovered a passion for boating. After his illness prevented him from continuing to serve as Captain, his family promoted Bill to the role of Admiral, so that he could be an enthusiastic passenger of his one-boat fleet.
The family is planning a celebration of Bill's life next summer.
Bill's family would like to thank Keystone Medical Services and Hospice of Holland for their compassionate care and support throughout the months following Bill's diagnosis, especially in his final weeks. Memorial contributions in Bill's honor are encouraged to the Pancreatic Cancer Action Network (www.pancan.org), or Hospice of Holland (www.hollandhospice.org). Service Details. Online Memory & Photo Sharing Event Ongoing Online Event About this event In Loving Memory Of William Gillmore July 13, 1946 - November 28, 2021 Look inside to read what others have shared Family and friends are coming together online to create a special keepsake. Every memory left on the online obituary will be automatically included in this book. View Tribute Book