William John "Bill" Kane

WILLIAM JOHN KANE (Bill) was born on January 16, 1935, in NYC, NY, to John William Kane and Catherine Claus Kane, (both deceased). He had 4 siblings: Jackie Kane (deceased); Mary Ellen Schardin (deceased); Kathy Kane (wife, Honour) Long Island, NY; and Edward Kane (wife, Bobbie) The Villages, FL.

He joined the Navy on June 3, 1952; served for almost 4 years with most of the time spent on the USS Ault as an RD2; and received 2 service medals.

He became an air traffic controller in several facilities including Melville, NJ; Atlantic City, NJ; and NYC, NY. He transferred to Oklahoma City, OK, to become an Instructor and later a manager at Mike Monroney Aeronautical Center. He retired in 1990 after 33 year of service. He was such a strict instructor, he was known as “Killer Kane.”

He was a cradle Roman Catholic and was active in 3 parishes: St. Joseph’s in Norman, OK; Holy Name of Jesus in Melbourne, FL; and Holy Spirit in Jacksonville, FL. He received a Theology degree from Newman Kansas and was Director of Rite of Christian Initiation (R.C.I.A.) at Holy Name for 7 years and involved in R.C.I. A. at all three parishes. He was a Third Degree member of the Knights of Columbus.

He was married to Dolores M. Laine (deceased) and they had 2 children: Candi Karen Kane Hicks (husband, William) residing in Jacksonville and William Raymond Kane (wife, Karen) from Long Island, NY. He is Papa to three grandsons, Christopher Cusumano (wife Jennifer), Kevin Cusumano (wife, Kassi), and Matthew Kane; and Great-Papa to Jackson & Kade.

After a transfer to Oklahoma, he married L. Ann Kane, Ph.D., who had 4 children: Cindy Wells Hicks (husband, Frank) from Ft. Worth, TX; Darren Wells, from Ft. Worth, TX; Kelly Wells Triller from Clinton, OK; and Curtis Maloy, Jr. (wife, Lori) from Shawnee, OK. Ann resides in the home in Jacksonville, FL. Bill was ‘Papa Bill’ to 5 Grandchildren and 5

Great-Grandchildren : Angie Hicks (son – Ethan, daughter – Lynlee); Lee Hicks; Dylan Hicks (wife, Lorin – son – Lawson, daughter,Kennedy); Cole Maloy, and Lauren Ann Wells (deceased infant).

Other members of the family include brother-in-law, Jerry J. Horrell (deceased) and a host of nieces, nephews, and cousins.

Bill was vibrant, healthy, and energetic until he had a second lung surgery about 10 years ago. Since then he has survived two codes and two plus months in the CVICU and SICU from pulmonary emboli. God provided miracles through his survival of those two nightmares, but a third earthly miracle was not to be. God took him home. Being a man of prayer, he wasn’t afraid to die, but he fought hard to stay alive because he loved his faith, his family, his friends, his country, his NY Yankees, and his fishing. He is greatly loved and is greatly missed.

The family will receive friends Tuesday, June 26, 2018 from 6-8 pm with a Vigil Service at 7 pm at Corey-Kerlin Funeral Home, 1426 Rowe Avenue, Jacksonville, 32208. A Funeral Mass will be held on Wednesday, June 27, 2018 at 11:00 am at Holy Spirit Catholic Church, 11665 Ft. Caroline Rd. Jacksonville, 32225. The interment will follow at Jacksonville National Cemetery, 4083 Lannie Rd. Jacksonville, 32218 with Military Honors.