William Francis Wahl

Visitation will be Wednesday from 6 to 8 p.m. at Roselawn Funeral Home in Decatur. Graveside service will be Thursday, Aug. 30, 2012, at 11 .m. at Roselawn Cemetery, the Rev. Wayne Newby officiating.

Known as Bill, Ike, or Pop to his friends, Mr. Wahl was born Sept. 19, 1916, in Ohio to James Clarence Wahl and Anna Moore Wahl. He was predeceased by his parents, sister Maude Doner and brother Bob Wahl.

Mr. Wahl worked in the motor freight industry. He met his wife, Hazel Morrell, in Nashville and they married in 1945. During the Korean conflict, Mr. Wahl was served in the U.S. Army.

Mr. and Mrs. Wahl moved to Decatur in 1961. In 1968, Mr. Wahl started Wahl Supply Co., Inc., to serve the packaging needs of local industries.

Mr. Wahl taught himself chair caning. His work is in use in many homes today. He also enjoyed hand carving small items, producing furniture, toys and Santa Claus figurines that family members treasure. Mr. Wahl also played golf and frequently assisted his son’s and grandson’s hot air balloon crews.

Mr. Wahl was a member of Central Baptist Church and a past president of the North Alabama Traffic Club.

He is survived by his wife, Hazel; two daughters, Francine (Edward Lee) Johnson of Decatur and Cathy (Jack) Tackett of Huntsville; a son, Michael R. (Cathy) Wahl of Decatur; six grandchildren: Mandy (Court) Heller of Huntsville; Missy (Mark) George of Knoxville, Tenn.; Bill (Rebecca) Johnson of Chattanooga, Tenn.; Bill Turk of Atlanta, Ga.; Molly W. (James) Davis of Decatur; and Robbie (Nikki) Wahl of Pelham; and five great-grandchildren.

The family requests no flowers. Memorials may be made to Meals on Wheels or the Salvation Army.