William Leroy Studebaker

Bill was born December 12, 1937 in Detroit and lived in Dearborn, graduating from Fordson High School in 1956. He earned his bachelor’s degree in Liberal Arts in 1960 from the University of Michigan, where he was active in Sigma Nu Fraternity. He served in the U.S. Navy from 1960-62 as a supply officer on the destroyer escort USS Edmonds.

After several years at other dealerships, he was hired by his college classmate, fraternity brother and friend, Buff Whelan, on April 1, 1976 as lease/rental/fleet manager of Buff Whelan Chevrolet, Sterling Heights. On April 1, 1981 he was promoted to Vice-President, General Manager, a position he held for 30 years before retiring in January 2011. Bill had lived in Clawson, Birmingham and Troy and lived in Rochester Hills for the last 20 years. He was active in the Sigma Nu Fraternity, the friends of Gettysburg Foundation, the St. Dunstan’s Theatre Guild of Bloomfield Hills and was very active in several auto dealership associations. He was an avid golfer, a past member of Dearborn Country Club and current long time member of the Detroit Golf Club where he scored a hole-in-one in tournament play and this past summer won his flight in ‘The Whistler” Member Guest Tournament. He also enjoyed acting as a tour guide on canoe trips and loved to garden. Bill was an avid Pistons fan, longtime season ticket holder, advertiser and advocate and friend of many of the Piston staff members. He most enjoyed his friendship with both the late local and national coaching legend and Piston scout Will Robinson and long time Piston “voice” George Blaha. Mr. Blaha recently said “ You couldn’t have a better friend than Bill Studebaker. In fact he repeatedly reminded the Nasmith Basketball Hall of Fame with his many letters that Coach Robinson was a worthy honoree, resulting in Will receiving the John Bunn Lifetime Acheivement Award in 1992. Will’s many ex-players and supporters will be eternally grateful for that and so will I.” Many NBA executives and former players sent Bill letters of support throughout his illness. He is survived by his wife Carolyn, his children John Studebaker and his wife Kimberly of Hurst Texas, Kristen Gray Studebaker of Ferndale, Steven Jablonoski of Chicago, Il, Stephanie and her husband Donald Campanelli of Pittsford NY and Stacy Jablonoski of Chesterfield MI, and his grandchildren Amanda and Murphy Studebaker, Sean and Austin Jablonoski and Hannah and Noah Campanelli, sister-in-law Diane Ingram Studebaker There will be a committal service with U.S. Navy Honors at Great Lakes National Cemetery (4200 Belford Rd, Holly, MI, 48442) Thursday February 10, 1:30 P.M. A Memorial service will be celebrated at Jefferson Avenue Presbyterian Church (8625 E. Jefferson, Detroit, MI 48214) Friday February 11 11:00 A.M.. Family will receive friends for one hour prior to service. The Rev. Dr. Louis Prues is the celebrant at both services. . Contributions suggested to the Beaumont Foundation (P.O. Box 5802, Troy MI, 48007) or the Gettysburg Foundation (1195 Baltimore Pike #100, Gettysburg, PA 17325-7034) .Please visit www.pixleyfuneralrochester.com