William "Bill" Shewciw Jr

William "Bill" Shewciw Jr., 82, died Thursday, September 28, 2023.
Bill was born in Yonkers, N.Y. however, Kentucky was his heart and where he called home. Bill and his wife Jean were married 55 years and lived in several states, but it was the Kentucky landscapes, the Thoroughbred horses and the large network of friends that kept them coming back and they retired in the Bluegrass.
Like a great character in a movie or novel, Bill, known to most as "Shu," was never far from a racetrack, a restaurant or a microphone. Bill's vocation was Sales, and he was an executive in the alcohol beverage industry for several major companies over his career including Heublein Inc, Glenmore Distillery, Brown-Forman Corporation and Young's Market Company. Bill's primary focus was sales of wine and spirits to restaurants. This niche made Bill a "foodie" before that was ever a word and Bill was awarded several distinctions in La Chaine des Rostisseurs, an International Association of Gastronomy. Bill was a great cook, but his specialty was the table-side performance: a Caesar Salad, Cherries Jubilee or a flaming coffee concoction.
Bill was passionate about horse racing, and he served as the President of the Kentucky Thoroughbred Owners Association for two terms as well as on the Board of Directors for several years. The couple enjoyed a few homebred winners– all sporting the familiar "Shu" moniker in their names– Mr. Shu, Party Shu, Prince Shu and Hyper Shu. And a hard-knocking claimer named Win Grammy Boy always seemed to find a win on a big night at Churchill Downs to fill the Winner's Circle with dozens of boisterous partners and Turf Club cronies.
Bill was also well-known for his mastery of the American songbook classics. Shu would accept the microphone on any occasion to croon away his favorite ballad in a style of his own but reminiscent of Johnny Mathis, Sinatra and Wayne Newton. Bill loved Hollywood and his career also afforded him an advisory position on the Los Angeles Sports and Entertainment Commission for several years. He and Jean often attended the Grammy Awards and several other red-carpet events in California.
Bill was a talented athlete and enjoyed a short career as an offensive guard with the Oakland Raiders before he was sidelined by injury. Bill attended Norwich University, the Senior Military College of Vermont and was in the US Army Reserve.
Bill was preceded in death by his parents, William and Mary Shewciw; brother, Joseph and sister, Sandra, all from NY.
Bill is survived by his wife, Jean; nieces Christine Waldron (NY), Stephanie Cooper (NJ) Patricia Sullivan (NY).
In lieu of flowers, Jean would like Bill to be remembered through his passions with donations to charitable organizations: The Kentucky Racetrack Chaplaincy Second Stride Inc or the Louisville Orchestra
Funeral Mass will be celebrated 12pm, Thursday, October 5, 2023, at St. Leonard Catholic Church, 440 Zorn Ave., with a private burial at Cave Hill Cemetery.
Visitation will be 4-7pm, Wednesday, October 4, 2023, at Pearson's, 149 Breckenridge Lane.
Arrangements under the direction of Pearson's, "Where Louisville Goes To Remember".