William Niehous

NIEHOUS

Bill



Bill Niehous died Thursday, October 10, 2013. He was 82 years old. Bill was born on August 11, 1931, in Toledo, to Henry and Ruth (Schelling) Niehous. He graduated from Harvard Grade School and Libbey High School, where he was a member of the National Honor society, as well as the varsity football and basketball teams. He was named to the Libbey High School Hall of Fame in 1996. He received a B.A. from

Miami University of Ohio in 1953, where he was a member of Sigma Alpha Epsilon Fraternity.

Bill was drafted in 1953 and spent 18 months in Panmunjom, Korea recording the peace talks. In the interim, on leave before his departure to Korea, he married the former Donna Weiss.

Upon his return from Korea, Bill went to work for Owens-Illinois. In 1961 he moved to Vineland, NJ, as the director of Human Relations. During his seven years there, he was Pres. of the Y. Board, head of the United Fund drive, division head of the hospital drive and a trustee of his church. The Chamber of Commerce named him Young Man of the Year in 1964.

In 1967, Bill moved to

Mexico City as director of Vidrio Nuetro, consisting of three glass plants. He was on the board of the American School, Chairman of the Boosters Club and with his three sons, active in the Boy Scouts.

In 1971 Bill moved to Madrid, Spain as President of Giralt Laporta, consisting of two glass plants, one in Madrid and one in Valencia. Bill was again on the board of the American School, and was head of the search committee to find a new director for the school.

In 1974, Bill moved to Caracas, Venezuela as President of O.I. de Venezuela. Bill was kidnapped on February 27, 1976 and held for three and one half years.

Upon his rescue & return to the U.S. on June 29, 1979, he returned to Owens-Illinois. After his retirement from O-I, he joined St. Vincent Medical center as VP Physicians Services and Marketing.

Bill made a career of volunteering since his retirement. He was active in many facets of education such as Partners in Education and Toledo Technology Academy. He started the lego contest in Toledo, which has grown

tremendously. He was on the board of Partners in Education and was their first director. He was instrumental in bringing the Dragon Boat races to our riverfront reaching a level of 48 boats in 2012, from 6 boats the first year. He was also behind the very successful Bar-be-Que with Beethoven, another fund raiser for Partners in Education. He was on the Board of Storer Camps. He was a member and Paul Harris Fellow of Toledo Rotary.

In 2002, he carried the Olympic torch, smiling all the way, one week after an emergency appendectomy.

When not volunteering, he swung the golf club.

Bill was a member of The Toledo Country Club, The Toledo Symphony, The Toledo Museum of Art, The Toledo Zoo, Hermits and the Answer club.

Bill is survived by his wife of 59 years, Donna; his sons Mark (Karen) and Craig (Nancy); four grandchildren, Allison, Vaughn, Michael and Anne, and his sister, Judith Swayne. He was preceded in death by his parents, his in-laws, Fred and Edith Weiss, his brother-in-law, Glenn Swayne, and his son, David.

The family would like to thank, Dr. Robert Axonovitz for his extraordinary care and compassion and the staff of Sunset House and Ashanti Hospice for their wonderful care of Bill and many kindnesses to the family.

The family will receive friends at Walker Funeral Home, 5155 W. Sylvania Ave. from 4 to 8 p.m. on

Monday, October 14th. Memorial services will be at St. Michael's in the Hills, 4718 Brittany Rd. at 11 a.m. on Tuesday, October 15.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Alzheimer's Association, YMCA, Partners in Education, St. Michael's or a charity of the donor's choice.