William L Quigley

It is with the greatest of love and respect and the need to remember William Lee Quigley, age 89, who died on, Thursday, July 19, 2018, that we post this notice. From the moment of his birth in Canton Illinois on August 17, 1928 to his death on Thursday as a Christian man he strived diligently each and every day to be the best that he could be. He was a son, brother, uncle, nephew, cousin, husband, father, grandfather and great grandfather and friend.

He was the son of Hobart and Anna Taber) Quigley who were of Irish heritage. His great grandfather and brother came over from Ireland during the potato famine, settling in Illinois farming the land. William grew up on that farm in Lewistown Illinois, with his older sister Charlotte (Hamm) Quigley.

After graduating from high school, he joined the Army at a young age and was enlisted for three years flying as a crew member. He was willing and wanting to serve his country and do his part. Even though he thought he knew what his goals were at this three years in time, what he didn’t know was that there was another plan.

There was a great deal of mystery taking place in Roswell New Mexico when it was rumored that an actual spaceship had landed. Top levels of secrecy were expected from the military (and William Lee Quigley) for many many years.

My father and mother loved to tell the story how my father met an alien 69 years ago this August whom he married. Earlene Coleman does not deny his version and on some level even delights. They went on to love honor and cherish one another.

He worked for AT&T as an Electrical technician and was the Proud Union President for Local 5550.

William was always an active member in the house of the Lord serving as an elder.

He sought and found friendship in the family of God.

Bill Quigley never did anything in halves. For him, it was all or nothing. There was nothing he could not fix. He was accused in his life of many things. He had the most beautiful handwriting (even receiving an award). He was a great fisherman. He designed and macraméd beautiful colored lawn chairs, even giving classes in the same craft upon request. He kept daily blogs of his life documenting each and every day of all of our lives. He wrote letters in long hand or computer or in tiny daily dairies to one and all becoming a Superhero as a communicator. The family home never had need to call anyone to enter for repairs or work as Bill was a self-made taught and educated man. He often worked two jobs and overtime to provide for his wife and daughters. He fixed organs and televisions.

Bill and Earlene had two girls, Georganna and Carmella, raising them in Madison Wisconsin. These daughters met their husbands, Joe Tapley from Dublin Ireland and Robert Behounek from Chicago and bequeathed them with eight grandchildren Matthew, Saralene, Ciarah (Smith) and Ned Tapley, Ryan and Anna (Behounek) Burk, who bequeathed them with eight more Great grandchildren Chloe, Ronan, Dylan and Dolly, Brennan, Noel, Allison, and Holly.

Bill and Earlene moved to New Mexico after their daughters graduated from high school. After retiring from AT&T, he and Earlene embarked upon another journey together in a mobile home traveling freely cross country hither and yon, together every step of the way, to wherever, whenever, with whoever as they chose. They said it was one of the happiest times of their lives.

They eventual chose to move to Florida to escape the Wisconsin snows and bask in the Florida sun years later. This was a very blessed time for them With Rebecca and her husband Ted Creswell and their nieces Tracy and Kristin with their sons, Jacob and Tyler creating more memories in the chapters in the book of their lives, sharing holidays, special events with all the laughter and tears that life can bring. Beckys’ sister Bernadette Wagner came yearly from Kansas City to add love and joy to these family occasions.

Williams’ daughter at the age of six, told her best friend whose dolls porcelain head had smashed into a million pieces, that her “daddy could fix anything”. Looking at the doll, her daddy said, he would try. This same little girl now remembers, her last conversation with her father asking the daddy who could fix anything to try as best he could to fix himself. He said, “I will try”.

The family will greet friends from 6:00 to 8:00 pm on Tuesday, July 24th 2018 at National Cremation and Burial Society 308 East College Avenue in Ruskin Florida. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made in William’s name for the research of Alzheimer’s and dementia.