William James Zick

William (Bill) James Zick lived for 79 years as a conscientious and supportive son, brother, father, and grandfather, a fair-minded Administrative Law Judge, a dedicated advocate for people and civil rights, a notedly nice person, and a loyal friend.

A memorial service for Bill will be held on Sunday, June 18, 2023 (Father's Day) at Muehlig Funeral Chapel, 403 S 4th Avenue, Ann Arbor, Michigan 48104. Gathering and visitation will begin at 11am and a program honoring Bill will be held from 11:30am to 12:30pm, followed immediately by a luncheon.

Bill was born in Detroit, Michigan in 1944 to Margaret Elizabeth (Russell) Zick and William James Zick, Sr. He was the oldest of thirteen children and became a dutiful son and brother growing up in Lincoln Park and the small village of Lennon near Flint. When authorities took measurements of traffic on a local road to determine where infrastructure funds should be spent, youngster Bill tried to increase the numbers by riding over the sensors repeatedly on his bicycle. By third grade he was an avid reader of TIME magazine, drawn in by the coronation of Queen Elizabeth II in 1953. He worked on a neighbor's farm doing odd jobs and milking cows in order to bring milk home to the family. As a teenager he attended a Catholic seminary for a year and a half before being let go as not priestly material; he was told his interests (e.g. cars) were too worldly. He greatly enjoyed folk and classical music and had friendly debates with his jazz-loving father. He blazed a trail for the family by attending the University of Michigan-Flint and earned a bachelor's degree in History and English in 1966, then worked as a teacher and debate team coach before earning a master's degree in Political Science at Wayne State University in 1969.

Bill married Jill (Pitrone) Zick in 1968 and together brought into the world three sons, Matt, Ken, and Jeff. As a new father living in suburbs of Detroit, he worked for the Michigan Department of Civil Rights for seven years starting in 1970, training their investigators in the law of civil rights discrimination and working on a law protecting the physically disabled. He earned his Juris Doctor degree at night from the Detroit College of Law and became a practicing attorney, joining the Michigan Employment Security Commission. He was appointed by the State of Michigan as a referee and Administrative Law Judge. For roughly 20 years he adjudicated cases involving employers and employees.

Bill lived in Riverview with his wife and sons for many years. Ever curious about cultures beyond his own, Bill and his wife traveled to many places in Europe and Asia including the Soviet Union shortly before it dissolved. When he wasn't traveling around the world physically, he tuned in around the globe electronically with his shortwave radio. He was determined to provide regular vacation opportunities for his kids, and loved taking them on memorable camping trips in Canada, often joined by his Mom or one of his brothers. They ultimately visited nearly every province from Newfoundland to Yukon Territories. Bill could recount his adventures in sharp detail including the names of sights and things people said.

Bill was afflicted with chronic pain in his early 30s which gradually worsened. By age 53 he was forced to retire from work and thereafter limit or avoid many of his previous activities. He adjusted by among other things diving into classical music discussions and history. He was shocked to learn in the mid-1990s of composers of African descent and their classical music that had been neglected or erased from history, which he felt was a great injustice. "I thought, I will make this my personal civil rights issue because this isn't right." In 2000 he created a website called AfriClassical where he shared his research and connected remotely with the larger world. Over the subsequent 23 years he shined a continuous light on African heritage in classical music and posted over 14,000 blog entries, helping to catalyze tremendous progress in the field and inspire countless people.

Bill was fervently proud of his three sons and grateful for each of his four grandchildren. He greatly enjoyed family visits, during which he would give the grandkids snacks and special edition coins. He tried to foster growth and sparks of imagination through books and creative play. Most importantly he offered his grandkids encouragement, hugs, and love. He lived long enough to see them well on their way to amazing journeys of their own.

Bill passed away in Riverview, Michigan on May 27, 2023. Profound and heartfelt thanks to the many people who deeply enriched Bill's life over his 79 years including his former wife Jill, beloved parents, caring siblings Christine, Cathy (Brian), Margie (Larry), Evelyn (Dan), David (Francine), Roger (Ann), John (Mary), Paul (Rebecca), Mary (Kim), Andy (Joyce), Ray (Suzan), and Don (Jackie), his three lucky sons, daughters-in-law Allyson and Jie, grandchildren Monica, Patrick, Lea, and Marlowe, extended family, and his many caregivers, medical professionals, people who kindly offered him opportunities, colleagues, and dear friends.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the Sphinx Organization (https://www.sphinxmusic.org/donate) or Doctors Without Borders (https://donate.doctorswithoutborders.org/).

Fond memories and expressions of appreciation of Bill may be shared at www.muehligannarbor.com for the Zick family.