William Joseph Wetter

William J. Wetter, known to his family and friends as Joe, was born in Los Angeles, CA, April 8, 1939 and passed away on August 23, 2024 in Camarillo, CA, from Multiple Myeloma. Joe’s parents and he moved to the San Fernando Valley when he was an infant. He was raised in the city of San Fernando and educated in the Valley graduating from Notre Dame High School and Pierce College. He also attended college at San Jose State and San Fernando Valley State College (now known as California State University at Northridge) before enlisting in the U.S. Army in December 1961.

Joe received Basic Training at Fort Ord, CA, and Advanced Training at Fort Holabird, MD, before receiving assignments at Fort Snelling, MN, and Fifth Army Headquarters in Chicago, IL. While stationed in Chicago he met, fell in love and married, Arline Tessari, a marriage that lasted over 60 years. Wishing to return to California, Joe requested and received reassignment to Fort Ord in early 1964. In December upon completion of his 3 year enlistment he and Arline relocated to the San Fernando Valley.

Upon his return to Southern California he began an insurance underwriting a career, which spanned 44 years with several insurers on both the West Coast and Midwest. Two insurance companies where he spent the majority of his career were Allstate Insurance Company in regional offices in Menlo Park, CA, and Seattle, WA, and in their home office in Northbrook, IL, and with the Factory Mutual Companies (Allendale Mutual, Affiliated FM and FM Global) in Seven Hills, OH, and Walnut Creek, CA. Upon retiring from FM Global in 2001 Joe and Arline moved to Camarillo, CA, to be closer to family and Joe started up a mini-career as an Independent Insurance and Risk Management Consultant. He finally fully retired in 2009.

Joe was preceded in death by his parents, Milford (Milt) Wetter, Kathryn (Kay) Nolan Wetter and is survived by his wife Arline, their son Robert Wetter of Camarillo, CA; Joe and Arline’s daughters Lori Beaulieu, her spouse Brad, of South Elgin, IL, and Lori’s twin sister Lisa Wiegman, and former spouse Ron, of Cary, IL. Joe is also survived by 8 grandchildren; Daniel, Andrew, and Ashley Wetter; Jamie and Matthew Beaulieu; and Jacob, Caitlyn, and Melissa Wiegman; his brother-in-law Warren Tessari (Cheryl), as well as numerous Wetter, Myers, and Nolan cousins.

Joe believed in a strong insurance education to succeed in his profession and completed several Professional Designations including Chartered Property Casualty Underwriter (CPCU), Chartered Life Underwriter (CLU), and Chartered Financial Consultant (ChFC), as well as numerous Associate Designations from the Insurance Institute of America. He also served as a CPCU and Risk Management course instructor at Cleveland State University and Cuyahoga Community College in Northeast Ohio and the Insurance Educational Association in Northern California.

Joe gave back by serving the CPCU as a Chapter Officer in the Cleveland Ohio Chapter before later serving as Chapter President of the Mt Diablo California Chapter, California El Camino Chapter and Los Angeles Chapter. He completed service with the CPCU Society as Western Regional Governor from 2007 to 2010 and as a Director of the Society from 2008 to 2010. He was an active member of the CPCU Society, Society of Financial Service Professionals and National Fire Protection Association for over thirty years.

Joe also served as an adult leader in Y Indian Guides, Scouts, and youth sports when his children were growing up. Joe also enjoyed being a youth soccer referee. He was not only active on the soccer field, but actively involved in promoting and supporting the programs. He was a Founder of the Cary Soccer Association (IL) and President of the Hillwood Knicks Soccer Club (Seattle). In more recent years he served as a Director of the Scleroderma Foundation Southern California Chapter, and as an officer of the Somis/Camarillo Pleasant Valley Lions Club.

Joe loved sports, which he competed in as many as he could as a teenager. In high school and community college he competed on the varsity basketball teams. He was a devoted fan of USC football, Dodgers Baseball, Camarillo High School Basketball, and anything relating to Track and Field. His favorite sports memories were attending USC/Notre Dame football games, the 1951 Rams NFL Championship game, the 1956 U.S. Olympic Track and Field Trials at the L.A. Coliseum and the 1960 Olympic Games in Rome, Italy.

Joe also loved to travel. He, Arline, and their family had many a happy day traveling throughout the U.S., Italy, Mexico, and Hawaii.

Services will be held with a Funeral Mass at Padre Serra Church in Camarillo on October 26, 2024, at 11am, followed with a Celebration of Life at the Serra Center. A private graveside interment will be held at Pierce Brothers Valley Oaks Cemetery, Westlake Village, CA.

In lieu of flowers if you wish, please make a donation in Joe’s memory to the City of Hope, Duarte, CA, or the Camarillo-Somis Pleasant Valley Lions Club, PO Box 157, Camarillo, CA 93011