William L. Quarles

Sometimes sorrow comes unexpectedly.

William Louis Quarles passed into eternity on Wednesday, July 18, 2012. We know the Lord greeted Bill with “Well done, My good and faithful servant”, but we will miss his loving heart here on earth.

Bill was born in Milwaukee on May 28, 1947 to Charles and Mary Quarles. His father was a prominent Milwaukee attorney, and his mother was an art collector and philanthropist. Through word and example, they raised Bill to believe you had to give back to your community, which he did. Bill graduated from Whitefish Bay High and Hobart College in Geneva, NY.

Bill was a wonderful, gentle, servant soul, with a blue sense of humor and a heart of gold. Bill had been a machinist, a beekeeper, an artist, a stamp and coin collector and seller, and a small business owner. Throughout his life, Bill cultivated many diverse interests: gardening, sailing, listening to all kinds of music from opera to country to rock, reading very widely–in later years by listening to endless unabridged books on tape, collecting antiques, listening to NPR, and telling tall tales. He was a wonderful neighbor and friend to many.

He is survived by his beloved wife, Kathie; his daughter, Katie Quarles; his stepchildren: Katie Weidner, Meg and Tom Epperly, Mike and Gerise Weidner; his grandchildren: Ellie, Ethan, Tory, Aidan and Zach; his sisters and their husbands: Sally and Jerry Smith, Mary and Frank Reuter, Nancy and Tim Oakes; Kathie’s brother, Roger, and his wife, Susanne Schlicht; and nieces, nephews and other relatives.

There will be a visitation from 4 pm to 7 pm on Sunday, July 22 followed by a brief service of remembrance including a sharing time. On Monday, July 23, there will be another visitation from 10 am to 11 am, followed by the funeral service at 11. Both services will be held at Heritage Funeral Home, 4800 S. 84th St. Greenfield, WI.

In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to Bill and Kathie’s church: Church in the City, 2648 North Hackett Avenue Milwaukee, WI 53211. Bill served in the communications ministry at the church in years past and most recently hosted and attended a Men’s Bible Study.