Louis, Missouri after a long illness.
Bill was born September 17, 1929 in Benton Harbor, Michigan to Gladys (Kreiger) and Howard Timm.
He grew up in Southwest Michigan where he met his late wife, Dotty, in a college Spanish Class. He
graduated in 1951 from DePauw University in Greencastle Indiana, receiving a B.A. in Economics. Shortly
afterward, he was drafted and inducted into the U.S. Marine Corps, serving as Sergeant, First Class.
After the service, Bill was a salesman for the Playtex Corporation in Chicago, Illinois. His entrepreneurial
drive led him and Dotty to sell their home to buy their first of five Chicago-area Convenient Food Marts
franchises. Their experience with the innovative convenience store concept during the nascent franchise
industry was chronicled in the popular business book, “The Franchise Boom”.
In the late 60s, Bill moved his family to Peoria to expand Convenient Food Marts into Central Illinois.
He later parlayed his professional skills into a successful commercial real estate career in Peoria, and for
General Growth Properties in Des Moines, Iowa.
For much of Bill’s life he looked younger than his years, and he stayed fit with golf, tennis, cycling and
jogging. He loved nature, “people watching,” and listening to opera and jazz. He was open-minded and
unassuming, and one who enjoyed listening more than talking. In high school, he was a local crooner,
and later in life, loved to sing his favorite song, “Embraceable You” at family events. His children
remember him as an exceptionally loving father and grandfather.
Proceeding him in death is his wife of 56 years, Dorothea “Dotty” Timm (Weimann). Surviving are
his three children, Wendy Timm (Jack Owczarczak) of St. Louis, Missouri, Shelley Timm-Thompson
(Charles Thompson) of River Forest, Illinois, William “Bill” Timm Jr. (Cindy) of St. Louis, Missouri;
six grandchildren, Lauren (Danny) Collins, Tommy (Mary Ann) Brummett, Anne Brummett, Charlie
Thompson, Olivia Thompson, Grant Timm; and one great-grandchild, JB Collins.
Services are private. Interment is in Benton Harbor, Michigan. Memorial contributions may be made to
Alzheimer’s Research at brightfocus.org/alzheimers. The family wishes to thank the kind caregivers of
BJC Hospice.
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