Bill was born May 6, 1932 to William and Esther Mitchener in Meadville, PA and moved to Peoria as a young boy. He graduated from Peoria Central High School and then from Purdue University with a degree in Mechanical Engineering. Following his graduation, Bill served in the Air Force. He married Marilyn Peard on September 6, 1952, and they raised their daughters Marty and Lynn in Peoria. Sailing was a favorite activity of the Mitchener family, and they spent many hours enjoying both pleasure sailing and racing at the Ivy Club in Peoria. Bill served as Commodore of the club and remained active in racing and social activities for many years. It would be difficult to think about sailing at the Ivy Club and not think of Bill.
After working for Caterpillar Tractor and National Aluminum, in 1970 Bill and Marilyn co-founded Alcast Company, a permanent mold aluminum foundry in Peoria that utilized an electromagnetic pump mechanism that Bill designed. This technique allowed the production of consistent, high quality castings capable of meeting very demanding performance requirements and earned Alcast a national reputation.
Following Marilyn's passing at age 73, the Lord brought a second wonderful woman into Bill's life, and he and Kay were married on October 21, 2006. She was the light of Bill's life in his later years, and many happy memories were shared both in Peoria and at their winter home in Rockport, TX. As Bill's health declined in recent years, Kay was his faithful support and caregiver. They were seldom apart. In addition to Kay, Bill is survived by his sister Sarah Allison of Portland, OR; daughters Marty Mitchener and Lynn Radford and her husband Craig- all from Tyler, TX; granddaughter Katie Trent and husband Jordan along with their children Rex, Hallee, and Izzy of Austin, TX; and granddaughter Lauren Anderson and her husband Laine of Dallas, TX. Also Kay's family: Suzanne and Jim Allen and their sons, Peter, John and Nick, Kathleen and Robert Bennett and their children Kady and Ethan, along with Victor and Jake Murrie. Bill loved them all, and he will be deeply missed. He was a role model in so many ways for his children and grandchildren.
He will also be missed by many good friends both in Peoria and in Rockport, TX. They would use words like generous, kind, and a man of integrity to describe him. His laugh and his warm smile will not be forgotten. Friends would also tell you that as much as Bill was respected as an engineer, a business owner, and a competitive sailor - he was even more respected for how he treated people. As Alcast Company grew, Bill made it possible for employees to become co-owners of the business. During all the years that he enjoyed competitive sailing, Bill would be the first person to welcome a new sailor to the fleet and gladly share his years of experience to help them improve. He was quiet about his faith in Jesus, but he became certain of that faith-based relationship in his later years. His family takes great comfort in knowing that he is in heaven, and that we will see him again. Bill was a member of the First Presbyterian Church of Rockport, TX and attended First United Methodist Church in Chillicothe, IL.
Service will be at 2:00 pm on Saturday, February 2, 2019 with visitation one hour prior to the service at Davison-Fulton Woolsey-Wilton Funeral Home in Peoria. Burial will follow the service at Swan Lake Memory Gardens in Peoria.
If desired, memorials may be made to the Ivy Boating Foundation in Peoria Heights, IL; the Salvation Army, or a charity of your choice. Words of comfort can be shared with the family at www.woolsey-wilton.com.
