William "Bill" James Serban

William “Bill” James Serban, age 79, passed away February 7, 2023. Bill was born on January 8, 1944, in Terre Haute, IN and moved to Indianapolis, IN in his 20s. He was preceded in death by his parents, Bill and Cecilia Serban, his brother, Mike Serban, and his wife, Charlene “Charlie” Cutter Serban.

Growing up, Bill attended Catholic schools including St. Ann’s Grade School and Schulte High School. He was an academic, an athlete, Senior Class President, very active in extra-curricular activities and had a strong zest for life. His paternal grandparents (Achim and Anna) owned a grocery store in Terre Haute, and he spent much of his spare time helping them out through his formative years. Bill grew up with his sister, Dorothy, and his brother, Mike. He was molded by his strong family unit, his Catholic faith, and his execution of eclectic interests.

Bill graduated with a Business Management degree from Indiana State University. He had an entrepreneurial spirit and started a few companies before moving on to his career with Warren R. Gregory & Sons General Contracting. As an estimator for Warren Gregory, he touched and influenced a variety of projects including the rebuild of North Central, several churches, and numerous homes and apartment complexes. He finished his career at Belfor Property Restoration before settling into retirement.

Charlie was Bill’s soulmate. She captured his heart from the first time they met. They shared a life full of passion and enjoyed shared interests which Bill continued to enjoy with his children and grandchildren after her passing in 2001.

Bill’s children and grandchildren were very important to him, and he worked tirelessly to make sure his pool and yard were always ready to host their family gatherings. His family included: daughter Trisha White (Kevin) and their children (Kelly, Kyle, Mitchell, Lauren), daughter Beth Thrasher (Jeff) and their children (Natalie, Andrew, Catherine), son Jason (Holly) and their children (Caleb, Isabella), and step-son Chuck Newkirk (Kim) and their children and grandchild (Chris, Reggie, Lawson and Justin).

Bill always had a love of the outdoors where he spent a lot of time camping, hunting, and gardening. Other enthusiastic endeavors included maintaining his beloved Miata, wood working, puzzles, antiquing, card games, and board games. But especially dear to him were his 4-legged companions, specifically his German Shepherds. Even with all these interests, he still made time for learning and appreciating new things. If you had something that you were working on that he didn’t know about, he took the time to listen and make you feel important. This attention to detail was never more evident than if you received a gift or card from Bill, you could be sure he spent time looking for just the right one.

He will be greatly missed!

A Mass of Christian burial will be held at 11:00 a.m., Friday, February 17, 2023, at St. Matthews Catholic Church, 4100 E. 56th St, Indianapolis, Indiana 46220. Visitation will be held from 9:00 a.m. until service time.

Donations in Bill’s memory may be made to the American Cancer Society (www.cancer.org) or the ASPCA (www.aspca.org)