Obituaries

May 8, 1938 to September 30, 2023

ROYAL CENTER - William John Stolz Sr., 85, of Winamac passed away Saturday, Sept. 30, surrounded by family.  

He was born May 8, 1938 in Midlothian, Ill. on May 8, 1938 to Robert and Josephine Stolz. He moved to Indiana in 2014 with his wife of 27 years, Joanne Stolz. Together they became a part of the Winamac community, as well as the Broken Arrow Campground.

William Stolz Sr.

He is survived by his wife, his children William (Bonnie) Stolz, James (Michael) Stolz, Gina (Eric) Sedlack and Nikki (Robert) Reeves; grandchildren Andrew, Allison, Brooklyn, Christopher, Jacob, London, Myles; sister Roberta and brother Arthur.

As a youth, Mr. Stolz excelled at sports and was the student council president at  Bremen High School in Midlothian when graduated in 1956. He attended Carthage College to study business administration and graduated in 1962. He married Susan Donnelly soon after and they had two children, James and William. While working at Harris bank in Chicago, he accepted a job at Campbell Soup Company and moved his family to the east coast. While there he became very active in local groups, including becoming the youngest school board president in the nation. In his life, he was the president of four school boards in two different states. He was also a little league baseball coach for his sons’ teams for six years. Their home was very active with friends and family, with his home being the house where all the neighborhood children hung out. He loved old cars, Babe Ruth and hunting and fishing. He was a loving and supportive father, even allowing his sons to have multiple pets, including a pair of pet skunks. Bill moved back to Illinois and met his wife, partner and soul mate Joanne (Cizmarik) Prez in 1994 and they married a few years later. He was a loving grandfather and enjoyed watching his granddaughter’s softball games and attended his granddaughter’s wedding just last month. He never lost his love of hunting and was out hunting in a tree stand until the age of 75. 

A memorial service will be at 1 p.m., Friday, Oct. 6, at the First Christian Church, Winamac. Visitation will be from 11 a.m. until the time of the service.

Bill’s online guestbook is available and condolences may be made to the family at www.ransfuneralhomes.com

Arrangements have been entrusted to Rans Funeral Homes & Crematory, Harrison Chapel, Royal Center.