Bill Orr

June 26, 1945 – October 11, 2026

Bill Orr passed away peacefully at home on Sunday, October 11, 2026, at the age of 81, and was a resident of Redlands, California. A viewing will be held on Friday, November 13, 2026, from 5:00 pm to 9:00 pm. The funeral will be held on Saturday, November 14, 2026, from 11:00 am to 12:00 pm, with burial to follow at 12:30 pm. All services will take place at Green Acres Memorial Park & Mortuary, 11715 Cedar Ave, Bloomington, California 92316.

Bill was born in Los Angeles on June 26, 1945, to JL and Winifred Orr. He spent his early years in Lucerne Valley, riding his horse, Buck, and growing up with his siblings, Linda, Lorry, and Les. He never lost his love of the desert, and his favorite place of all was a boat on the Colorado River, with the water so smooth it looked like glass.

Bill and Jean Pitkeathly met at a church in Fontana, where he played the trumpet, and they were married in 1966. They settled in Redlands in 1972, in a house Bill helped design, surrounded by landscaping he built and maintained himself. This year they celebrated their 60th wedding anniversary.

Bill is survived by his wife, Jean; his sons, Doug and his wife, Shelley, of the Houston area, and Greg and his wife, Martina, of the Seattle area; his grandchildren, Kevin, Anika, Allison, and Cheyenne; and his siblings, Linda, Lorry, and Les.

Bill earned his bachelor’s degree at Cal Poly Pomona, his master’s at the University of Oregon, and his doctorate at Nova University. For about 30 years he taught mathematics at several colleges throughout the Inland Empire before spending his last ten working years in college administration. He wrote three college math textbooks and retired as Professor of Mathematics, Emeritus. His doctoral thesis on “math anxiety” shaped his career, which he spent helping students who “hated math” learn to understand it.

Rotary was central to Bill’s life for more than two decades. He joined the Rotary Club of San Bernardino in 2003 and went on to serve as club president three times (2015-16, 2021-22, and 2024-25) and as club secretary from 2018 to 2021. A longtime district trainer and facilitator, he served Rotary District 5330 most recently as Global Grants Chairman for 2026-27. His generosity to The Rotary Foundation earned him a Rotary Presidential Citation for Giving, and he was a Foundation Benefactor and a Paul Harris Fellow.

Bill also loved music. He played in a folk trio and considered making a career of it before turning to education. At family Christmases he played guitar to get everyone singing.

When people were too shy, he handed out kazoos so everyone could join in. Disneyland was another of his great loves, and he delighted in sharing the magic with his grandchildren.

Those who knew Bill remember a man who was cheerful and kind. He always did things the right way and was a stickler for details, yet he was endlessly patient when teaching others. He was a true leader, generous with his time and resources, and a master of the dad joke, which he used to open many of his public speaking engagements.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to The Rotary Foundation at my.rotary.org/en/donate