Wallace "Bill" William Ludwig

Bill moved with his mother and step-father, Chris to Peoria, Illinois when he was very young. He attended the local schools until the 10th grade. At the age of sixteen Bill left home and lived for a short while with two fellows that ran movies at the local theatre. He enjoyed his time watching free movies and helped pay his way by helping run the movie projectors with his two friends. When Bill was seventeen he moved to Wichita, Kansas and was taken in by his Aunt Myrtle, she took very good care of him. Bill’s Aunt ran a publishing company and offered him a job where he ran a Mimeograph and worked in the mail room. In 1936 Bill met the love of his life, Lorene Brown and they were married in November of 1936. Once Bill and Lorene were married he left the publishing company and began working as an attendant at a local gas station that his father-in-law owned. Bill later purchased the gas station and owned it until 1942 when the company that owned the property decided they were going to tear down the gas station to build other businesses. Not allowing anything to stand in his way Bill spoke directly with the Chief Engineer that was in charge of the operation and asked for a job. He was given the job with Ben Sibbitt Iron and Foundry Company, starting out with odd jobs such as painting and cleaning. By the time Bill put in his resignation he had worked his way up to being the “lay out man” who laid out the steel for the company.

In 1942 the Ludwig’s decided to make their way to Oregon. Bill stayed with his relatives for two weeks while, Lorene, her mother Inez and their two small children MaryEvelyn and Wayne drove their 1938 Oldsmobile 8 from Wichita, Kansas to Milwaukie, Oregon. Bill rode the bus to Portland and met the family where they made their home in defense housing for a short time. Bill secured a job with a small sub-contracted aircraft shop called Columbia Aircraft where he worked making small parts to be placed on the tails of air crafts; he left that company in June of 1945. In 1945 he began working for Eastside Tool & Die later merging with Pacific Tool & Die in 1950. During this time Bill and Lorene moved the family from Milwaukie to Portland and lived off of 81st and Burnside before making a more permanent home on NE 43rd. They were later surprised with their third blessing, a daughter they named Sheryl. Bill continued to provide for his family by securing a job with Oregon Saw and Chain (now called OMARK). Bill said he was very fortunate to have bosses who saw potential in him and let him work his way in to the tool and die trade. In 1954 he stared working for CRB Manufacturing as a “Die Maker” and worked his way up to become a Foreman for them, eventually retiring from his trade in 1981.

In 1980 Bill and Lorene moved from Portland to Gresham to be closer to their growing family. He enjoyed wood-working in his garage, making end tables, rocking horses for his grandchildren and 2 beautiful cabinets. Bill decided to come out of full retirement and started working part-time for his daughter Sheryl and his son-in-law Tom at their company Kerr Properties, Inc., doing some maintenance and home inspections for them.

During the many years of hard work, Bill suffered several heart and angina attacks, being told numerous times that he would not make it more than one year if he did not have heart surgery. Being a man of strong faith Bill left it in the Lord’s hands to decide his life and he was not going to allow a heart attack to get in his way of working or spending time with friends and family. Bill and Lorene were members of Montavilla Baptist Church in Portland for many years. In 2006 Bill and Lorene decided it was time to sell their home in Gresham and move into a beautiful retirement home in Portland. Throughout the years Bill and Lorene always had time to spend with their beloved children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren. He cherished every moment he spent with every single one of his family members.

After 75 ½ years of marriage, the Lord decided it was time for Bill’s beloved wife Lorene to go to her heavenly home. He was left to stay on this earth to live peacefully and enjoy his lunch and dinner dates with his children and grandchildren. Bill never met a stranger and would always extend his hand to help another. He had a quick wit and a funny, spitfire kind of humor about him. He will be deeply missed by all who knew and loved him especially by his dear family.

On Saturday, February 22, 2014, Bill went to his heavenly home when he was ninety-six years young.

Surviving and left to honor his life are: two daughters, Sheryl Kerr and her husband Tom and Mary Evelyn Varney and her husband Jay, all of Gresham; his son Wayne Ludwig of Portland; his sister-in-law Eloise Pope of Tulsa, Oklahoma and sister-in-law Juanita Langenberg and her husband Harold of Australia; nine grandchildren; twenty-one great-grandchildren; one great-great grandchild and two on the way and those who have come to know and appreciate him where he has lived and worked. He was preceded in death by his sisters, Evelyn Vorderstrasse and Eleanor Mahle.

His Funeral Service will be Monday, March 3, 2014 at 2:00 p.m. in Lincoln Memorial Park, Portland with Pastor Dwight Steele officiating. A Private Committal will be held at Lincoln Memorial Park, Portland.

Arrangements under the direction of Lincoln Memorial Funeral Home, Portland, OR.