William (Bill) Mathias Raftree II

Bill was born on May 25, 1941, to Virginia (Thompson) and Leonard Keith Raftree and grew up in Elkhart, IN. He married Carol Clare Billmeier in 1966 and together they had four children. He worked for Merrill Lynch Pierce Fenner and Smith before joining North American Van Lines (NAVL). A self-taught musician for several years, he played the piano at the Wharf and other establishments. Following his time at NAVL, he worked as the general manager of the Hilton Hotel in Grand Junction, CO and later in Little Rock, AR before moving back to Fort Wayne where he founded All Seasons Self Storage and later acquired Hoover the Mover in 1996. In 2010 he met Jackie, the love of his life, and they were married on October 8, 2016. Together with Jackie, Bill became active in the My Father’s House Church.

Bill was a member of the Fort Wayne Chamber of Commerce, an active member of Rotary, a board member of the Embassy Theater, and a charter member of the Arkansas Association of Short People. He was instrumental in starting the Fort Wayne Festival of Trees. An avid golfer, he and his wife Jackie were often seen on the links of Coyote Creek Golf Club.

More than a list of things he did, we remember him for who he was: ever-evolving, supportive, thoughtful and courageous. We remember his love, support, music and sense of humor.

As a father, he was always there for his children at important moments. He was open and approachable, non-judgmental, and willing to listen and hear them out. Our bonds with him grew stronger as we grew older and had our own children. We relied on him for opinions on big important things as well as for a good laugh, sometimes at his expense, and sometimes ours! He taught us how to be decent, competent adults and how to navigate conflict. He showed us how to love one another and stay strong, even when views did not align. While struggling with debilitating health issues, he was an example of strength and perseverance and how to adopt a positive attitude.

As a grandfather, he was both a figure of authority and a clown, fond of being silly in public and always full of mirth, wit and wry humor. He opened a world of wonder and exploration for us as young children and offered steadfast support for those of us lucky enough to have him with us as we grew into adults. Ever present in our lives, he could be counted on for solid impartial counsel as well as a fast quip and an easy loud guffaw. Our family reunions were a place whereas young children we learned the importance of family. We observed the ease of banter between him and his siblings and the joy of game playing and story telling that brought us both comfort and pride in being part of a close-knit family.

As a husband later in life Bill was a best friend. He was kind, supportive and loving. We shared our love of travel, laughter, family and friends. As a sibling, he was our older brother, our guardian and our friend. He never missed a birthday or anniversary. He helped keep us together as a family, encouraging his siblings to move to Fort Wayne so that we would be close in proximity.

He is survived by his wife Jacqueline, children: Matt Raftree (Laura), Linda Raftree, Mike (Julie) Raftree, Alex (Irene) Raftree; Stepchildren Wendi (Russell) Church, Audra (Casey) Johnson, Matthew (Ali) Hauck, 17 grandchildren and two great grandchildren. Siblings Anne Raftree, Keith (Debbie) Raftree and Carole Raftree.

In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to My Father’s House or the Boys and Girls Club of Greater Fort Wayne.

A Celebration of Life will be held at D. O. McComb and Sons, Covington Knolls on Saturday, February 7, 2026, beginning at 11:00 a.m. with calling one hour before. The family will also be receiving guests at the funeral home on Friday, February 6, 2026, from 2:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. and 5:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m.