He is survived by his wife and soul mate of 57 years, Elaine, his daughter and son-in-law, Beti Spangel and Larry Phillips of Poplarville, two granddaughters, Jessica Jones of New York and Sarah Zwijacz of Colorado, two step-granddaughters, Bonnie Phillips of Massachusetts and Elsie Phillips of Arizona, his sister-in-law, Patricia Brandt of South Hampton, NY, and numerous nieces and nephews.
William resided in Elmont, NY in the 60's and early 70's. In the early 60's he raced stock cars in Freeport, NY. At home in Elmont, he and Elaine created a childhood for the neighborhood kids that can only be imagined today. Stickball in the street, boiling crabs on the patio listening to doo-wop on the radio, and elaborate Halloween parties were just a small part of how he created indelible memories for the kids of Belmont Avenue.
When his nieces and nephews were little, he and Elaine were the ones who took everyone to Storytown, Gaslight Village, Santa's Workshop, Animal Land, and other amusement parks of the Adirondacks. His Stewart Manor nieces and nephews would scream in delight when he and Aunt Elaine came to visit. "Uncle Billy's here! Uncle Billy's here!" And they would get ready for a game of stickball.
In 1973 William moved his family to Corinth, NY. There he operated two service stations – Bill's Corinth Shell and Parker's Garage in Lake Luzerne. Every year he sponsored a parade float in the Lake Luzerne Fall Festival, where his father-in-law sat as Santa Claus. He was also a past president of the Corinth Rotary Club.
In the 1980's and 1990's he dubbed their 3 acre parcel of land The WEE Farm (for William, Elaine, and Elizabeth) and was a right-hand man for Beti's, and later his granddaughter Jessica's, horse showing activities. They had many adventures participating in local shows, where he was the helpful go-to guy, whether it was to get a bucket of water, hold a horse while somebody had to go to the bathroom, or wipe off dusty riding boots before going into the ring. He coined the motto for The WEE Farm, "Don't worry about it!"
He also took great joy in creating elaborate Easter egg hunts for his granddaughters, figuring out how to get customized messages into fortune cookies, and trying to start food fights at the Thanksgiving table.
In 2005 he and Elaine moved to Orlando where they resided and spent many happy hours at Disney World and going on cruises. In 2015, they moved to Poplarville to be closer to family. William was an avid sports fan (football, baseball, hockey, and NASCAR) and animal lover, even when he grumbled about them. He had a great sense of humor and a heart as big as a house.
He is predeceased by his parents, Gus and Gertrude Spangel, in-laws, Thomas and Helen Voelker, and many pets who got to enjoy his special way of scratching them behind their ear.
The family would especially like to thank Trinity Manor of Wiggins and Solace Hospice Services of Poplarville for their loving and attentive care of William in his final days.
Services will be held at White Funeral Home, 315 Hwy 11 S, Poplarville, MS, 39470 on Wed, December 11, 2019 at 12:00 pm. Visitation will be two hours prior. Family and friends are invited to attend a reception at the Spangel Home, 114 Pecan St, Poplarville immediately following the ceremony.
White Funeral Home, (601) 795-4982.
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