The son of John J. Arends (deceased) and Grace Treash Arends (deceased), Bill was born on November 21, 1940, in Detroit, MI.
Bill attended St. Rita’s High School in Chicago where he played football and then attended the University of Illinois. While working at the Bell Telephone Company, he met and then married his beloved wife of 56 years, Patricia (Patsy) A. Deady Arends.
He proudly served our country in the U.S. Navy on the USS Dewey and was on active duty during the Cuban missile crisis.
Together, Bill and Patsy raised a family that included a son, William "Bill" J. Arends, Jr., married to Lisa M. Arends, and two daughters, Elizabeth "Liz" L. Arends-Stafford married to Michael R. Stafford, and Katherine "Katie" E. Arends Kennedy, married to Brian P. Kennedy.
A consummate salesman, and mentor to those aspiring to be in sales, Bill worked for Hoechst Rousell Pharmaceuticals for 31 years, ending his career as the Northeast Regional Sales General Manager, traveling throughout the northeast and occasionally visiting his daughters at their colleges during his travels.
In 1996, having lived in the Northeast for a good portion of their life, Bill and Patsy moved to DeBary, FL, to retire. He embraced his new home and community, serving as a regular usher at 11am mass at St. Ann’s for many years, working in the food pantry and playing golf at the DeBary Golf & Country Club a few days a week.
He was a beloved Grandfather of nine — Amanda, Billy and Matthew Arends, Isabelle, Jack and Max Stafford, and Brendan, James and Claire Kennedy.
Including those mentioned above he is survived by his three brothers: Jack, Tom, and Paul Arends and their families.
A Mass of Christian Burial will take place on Friday, August 24, at 11am at St. Ann’s Roman Catholic Church, 26 Dogwood Trail, DeBary, FL 32713.
Funeral arrangements care of Deltona Memorial Funeral Home, 1295 Saxon Blvd, Orange City, FL 32763-8464. Phone: 386-775-4260
In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation to Florida Hospital HospiceCare Foundation at
www.FloridaHospitalHospice.org or via check to Florida Hospital HospiceCare Foundation, 60 Memorial Medical Parkway, Palm Coast, FL 32164.
