William Friend

William “Bill” Friend, 68, of St. Joseph, MI passed away peacefully at home in the loving arms of his wife on Tuesday, September 24, 2013 after a brave and courageous eighteen month battle with pancreatic cancer. Family will meet friends from 5:00 to 7:00 P.M. Tuesday, October 1, 2013 at Starks & Menchinger Chapel & Cremation Service, 2650 Niles Road, St. Joseph. A Celebration of Life Service will be held 10:00 A.M. Wednesday, October 2, 2013 at Stevensville United Methodist Church, 5506 Ridge Rd., Stevensville with Pastor Gordon Barry officiating. Interment of cremains will follow at Hickory Bluff Cemetery in Stevensville. Memorials may be made to Hospice at Home, St. Joseph. Those wishing to share a memory of Bill online may do so at www.starks-menchinger.com. Bill was born March 19, 1945 in Cincinnati, OH to Albert & Irene (Barker) Friend. He graduated from Wyoming High School in Cincinnati and attended the University of Cincinnati for one year, then transferred to Eastern Kentucky University where he graduated with a Bachelor’s Degree in 1968. Bill served his country during the Vietnam War as a 1st Lieutenant in the United States Army, and was awarded the Bronze Star. On December 26, 1966 he married Patricia “Pat” Nelson in Cincinnati. Bill worked for Whirlpool Corporation for over 30 years. Bill is survived by his wife Pat of St. Joseph; son Brad (Renee) Friend, daughter Melissa (Clint) Essig of Stevensville; four grandchildren, Lilly & Celia Friend and Lindsay & Logan Essig; and brother Robert Friend of Orlando, FL, Bill was preceded in death by his parents and brothers Albert & Jerry Friend. Bill worked for Whirlpool Corporation from 1970 until he retired in 2000 where he worked in various management positions including Accounting, Auditing, Operations, Logistics, Sales and Marketing and was a member of the Golden Eagles. Bill was a member of Lakeshore Rotary. Bill never met a golf course he didn’t want to play. He was an avid lifelong golfer and loved the game of golf and the time it afforded him to be with friends, have a few laughs and hopefully a lot of good shots. Over the years he had been a member at Point O Woods and later at Berrien Hills Golf Clubs. In recent years he enjoyed seeing the guys and serving as a Starter and Ranger at Berrien Hills, giving him yet another opportunity to be close to the golf course. Bill found a way to play golf year round at his winter home in Sun City Festival, Buckeye, AZ at the Copper Canyon Golf Course where he was a member of the Men’s Golf group. Bill served as a Volunteer at the 2012 Senior PGA Tournament held at Harbor Shores Golf Club. His proudest moment was when he hit a Hole In One on the 15th Hole at the Phoenix Country Club on August 21, 1985. He passed along his love of golf to his wife Pat, his son Brad and his grandson Logan and had so much fun playing the game with them. Bill enjoyed fishing at their Magician Lake cottage and on his annual Canadian fishing trips with his buddies Dick Berry, Dick Stauffer and Jerry Sorensen. Bill and Pat enjoyed their retirement spending winters at their home in Sun City Festival where they were members of various clubs including Barrel Buddies, Canadian-American Group, Hackers and Whackers Golf Group and serving as a Resident Ambassador. Bill was referred to by many as a “Gentle Giant” or “the Big Guy.” Although he was tall in stature he was a caring and compassionate friend and was seldom seen without a smile on his face. Bill was a friend to all.