Bill is survived by his daughter Kristine (Kris) Yancy and husband Col. (ret) Scott of Montgomery, AL, son David Edwards and wife Stacie of Tulsa, OK, and grandchildren Caroline Yancy, Andrew Yancy, Camden Edwards and Camille Edwards. He was preceded in death by his wife Gayle.
He graduated from Illinois Valley Community College in 1961 and the Milwaukee School of Engineering in 1963. He majored in computer technology.
Bill married Gayle Laatsch in November of 1963, and began his career working for Johnson Controls at the South Bend, IN branch. In 1970, He was transferred to the Johnson Controls Poteau, OK facility where he remained for the rest of his career. He retired in 2002 after 39 years at Johnson Controls.
He enjoyed retirement by traveling the world with his wife Gayle. His other hobbies included sailing, restoring cars, working on clocks and snow skiing.
Bill was a longtime member of St. Luke’s Lutheran Church where he was very active and served in many roles including Church Council President. He was in the Rotary, served on Governor Bellman’s commission on Jobs for Oklahoma’s Future and served as the Director of the Oklahoma Alliance for Manufacturing Excellence. He was also appointed by Governor Keating to the Oklahoma Workforce Investment board. Bill was on the board of the Poteau Chamber of Commerce and served as President, served as Chairman of the local area Manufacturing Council, served on the executive board of the Poteau Area Economic Expansion Foundation and served on the executive committee as Chairman of the Manufacture’s Council of the Oklahoma Chamber of Commerce and Industry. Bill was also recently on the board at Methodist Village.
Due to the Coronavirus, a memorial for both Bill and Gayle will be held at a later date.
SHARE OBITUARY
v.1.8.18