William Pellegrini III

William “Bill” Pellegrini III 68 of Brunswick, GA Carpenter, struggler, and beloved saint of the Church, entered the larger life on September 9, 2023 wrapped in prayer at LifeCare Center of Hilliard, Florida. Born on Valentines Day 1955, he was the first son of William and Delores Pellegrini. Bill and his younger brother Louis, older sister Chris, and younger sister Darris grew up together the small steel town of Alsip, Illinois. From family vacations in homemade RVs to working on cars in the driveway, Bill and his family epitomized mill town life in the Midwest. Bill was beloved of God, his family, and St. Mark’s Episcopal Church.

As a boy, Bill (though intuitive and bright) wrestled with undiagnosed dyslexia. As a result, he struggled at home and school, eventually leaving home to join the Army. Bill briefly served his country before being discharged following an injury while on duty. Those who met Bill immediately recognized the injury which would limit the use of his left arm for the rest of his life.

Following his discharge and return home, Bill continued to struggle in odd jobs mostly in carpentry and cable, was married briefly, and eventually left Illinois in search of a new start. By the time Bill’s driver’s license was revoked at 25, the misunderstood and dyslexic boy with a defiant streak had unwittingly taken his world’s low expectations for him and achieved them.

Bill once told friends that he knew what it was like to live under a bridge and to eat the pigeons nesting there (which he called “squib”). However, in all of the stories of his past, Bill focused more on the interludes of true friendship, the satisfaction of building something, an indefatigable work ethic, and a respect for honesty, loyalty, and family. Bill seldom missed a day of work, often biking 20+ miles before dawn to arrive on time. Bill was quick to distance himself from any able-bodied person who sought charity in lieu of hard work. He deeply loved his family and friends, and remained loyal to them for his entire life.

Like countless Glynn County immigrants before him, Bill moved to the Golden Isles because he wanted a new start only to discover, “Changing ones latitude seldom results in changing one’s attitude.” For most of the early 2000s Bill battled addictions, rode his bicycle to numerous odd jobs, and continued to fight mostly with himself to find a better place than the one his world assigned him on the margins.

Then, in October of 2009, in the worst economy since the Great Depression, with his unemployment running out, having given away virtually everything he owned, and facing eviction, Bill found God (or perhaps was found by Him).

In the back of St. Mark’s chapel on a Thursday in mid-October, Bill wandered in from the street with a woman hoping to secure a bus ticket for her from the church. The minister said, “We can help your friend but we are just about to begin worship. Please stay and we will do what we can after the service. You are welcome here.”

By the end of worship, the lady was gone, but not the carpenter.

The carpenter was standing in the back of the chapel after the service with tears streaming down his cheeks when he declared, “The Holy Spirit is in this place.”

On that day and in that moment, Bill Pellegrini III was re-born. On that day, Bill began to heal.

The carpenter was an active part of St. Mark’s for the rest of his life. He seldom missed a worship service even though he insisted on riding his bicycle to get there. Bill became an essential part of the wheel chair ramp ministry called Christian Men’s Fellowship in Darien and personally helped build dozens of ramps. He entered recovery and was a staple for years at numerous AA meetings were he would loudly proclaim he knew how to make the best coffee he called “mud”.

While his life was far from perfect, Bill eventually worked until his Social Security disability was approved, earned his driver’s license back after 40 years, bought the first of two cars, and lived a life filled with joy, laughter, and friendship. Once able to drive again, Bill would drive for hours on end to no particular destination simply because he could. He NEVER refused any polite request for a ride, more than once delivering persons without transportation to South Carolina or southern Florida. When his friends noted the joy he’d found in the last 10 years of his life, Bill would say he and The Holy Spirit were making up for lost time. He never forgot a birthday and often sacrificed to help others.

He would have said, and did say often, that never forgot where he came from and HE was blessed beyond measure. His church and community would argue that it was WE who were blessed beyond measure because Bill’s story, in so many ways, is ours too.

His story affirms there is none so lost that Christ can’t find.

His life is testimony that there is no one too low for God to serve.

His heart is proof that there is no hurt beyond the Spirit’s power to heal.

Bill’s friendship reminded us, who need so often to be reminded, that “The Holy Spirit is in this place.”

No matter where our place is.

Most of us take it for granted and just call it faith and love. Bill reminded us that it is the very source of our identity. When we drift from God, no matter who we are, we always become lost.

But literally, “Thanks be to God”, LOVE Himself, the original Carpenter, indefatigable, relentless, and bold, never stops searching. Wandering into the chapels of our lives, to reconnect us to Himself and to each other.

A celebration of Bill’s life will be hosted in the little Chapel of the Saints at St. Mark’s on Thursday September 21 at 11:00am at 900 Gloucester St. Brunswick, GA where he will be interred in the space he called home.

In lieu of flowers, gifts in Bill’s honor should be made anonymously to someone or some ministry you already know.

Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.edomillerandsons.com for the Pellegrini family.