William "Bill" Louis Lange

Born on May 18, 1931 in Saint Louis, Bill was known for his charm and sociability, as well as his strong-willed, independent nature.

Bill grew up on The Hill in Saint Louis. He proudly served in the United States Marine Corp from 1950 to 1953, where he was awarded a Purple Heart, demonstrating a profound commitment to his country. Following his military service, he embarked on a remarkable career, founding William L. Lange and Associates, a firm specializing in snack food packaging. His dynamic salesmanship led him to manage major accounts such as Frito Lay and Mission foods. Bill's dedication to his work was unparallelled; he never retired, continuously adapting to new technologies and methods, including learning Microsoft Office and using Zoom during the Covid-19 pandemic to maintain close customer relationships.

An avid sports enthusiast and gifted athlete, Bill was inducted into the St. Louis Softball Hall of Fame and was a member of the Sunset Country Club where in his prime was a scratch golfer. He also cherished his roots in soccer having played for Saint Ambrose in his youth. Later in life he spent many fall weeks at his cabin at Lake Quinault salmon fishing.

Bill is survived by a loving family, including his partner of over 30 years, Delores Roeder; children, Kathy Lange, Scott Lange, and Susan Hixson; siblings, Steven Lange and James "Jimmy" Mitchell; and grandchildren, Liam Lefebvre, Joshua Hixson, Ben Hixson, Sarah Woessner, Will Lange, and Luke Lange. He was preceded in death by his parents, Rose (Metz) Mitchell and Louis Lange; his brother, Gardner Mitchell; and his first wife and children's mother, Carol Jane (Van Sickle) Lange.

Military Honors will be bestowed on Friday, October 4, 2024 at 2:30pm at Jefferson Barracks National Cemetery, assisted by Hoffmeister Colonial Mortuary. There will be a celebration of his life the following day, Saturday, October 5, at 3pm at Sunset Country Club. Later this spring, his ashes will be scattered at Lake Quinault. Bill's legacy of resilience, dedication, and love for his community will be remembered by all who knew him.