William Mihalik

He was born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania to Dorothy Kost and Leo Mihalik. Bill attended Penn Hills High School before briefly studying at Indiana University of Pennsylvania. As a young adult, he moved to Texas where he graduated from the Art Institute of Houston with a degree in Commercial Art. In his early 30’s, Bill moved to Alexandria, Virginia where he began his career with OTIS Elevators, met his wife, Laura, and started a family.

Bill was a devoted husband to his wife, Laura, and his two daughters, Olivia and Allison, who miss him dearly. He took great pride in being a grandfather of four and was honored to be a part of their lives. Always the silly one and a lover of children, the grandkids thought he was the greatest thing ever. Nevertheless, some may argue that perhaps the role he took most seriously was being a “dad” to his dog, Mollie.

He liked being in the garage and keeping his hands busy. He rode motorcycles and spent time working on his Corvette, always tinkering and figuring things out. He was interested in how things worked and had a knack for fixing just about anything. His gruff exterior disguised his kind and decent heart. He was the unofficial “mayor” of Jackson Street, adored by neighbors who knew they could count on him for anything. Halloween was his thing, and every year the display became more elaborate.

Bill was preceded in death by his mother, Dorothy Kost and his father, Leo Mihalik. He is survived by his wife Laura, daughters Olivia (Stephen) and Allison, his four grandchildren - Riley, Sterling, Winston, and Vaughn: his siblings Jim and Lee Ann, nieces and nephews, and his beloved dog Mollie.

A memorial service is planned for 3:30 pm on Thursday, April 30th at Murphy Funeral Home, 4510 Wilson Boulevard, Arlington, VA with a fellowship beginning at 2:30 pm. An interment is set for May 7 at Ivy Hill Cemetery. Flowers may be sent to the funeral home, or a donation made to a charity of your choice.