William Henry Risoff

FUNERAL HOME

Simkins Funeral Home

6251 Dempster Street

Morton Grove, Illinois

William Risoff Obituary

William Henry Risoff, beloved husband of Marian; loving father of Cindy (Stephen) Gow, Stephen (Shari) and David (Melanie); dear grandfather of Scott and Jacob; fond brother of Annette. Service at Simkins Funeral Home, 6251 Dempster St., Morton Grove, Saturday 11 a.m. Interment Memorial Park Cemetery. Visitation Friday 4 to 9 p.m. In lieu of flowers donations to Rush North Shore-Pulmonary Rehabilitation Unit, 9600 Gross Point Rd., Skokie, IL 60076 appreciated. 847-965-2500.

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Published by Chicago Tribune on Jan. 23, 2003.

Memories and Condolences
for William Risoff

8 Entries

Cindy Gow

January 27, 2003

My Dad will be missed by not only myself and my family but also by his many friends he made in Scotland while visiting my husband Stephen and myself. He loved Scotland and its people, music and mostly the fish and chips!! I will always think of him when I hear pipe music.Bless you Pa.

Carolyn & Arthur Orr

January 27, 2003

Bill Risoff was my brother-in-law for almost 44 years. He gave us a lot of memories, stories, laughter, and 3 children who have grown into wonderful adults. He gave my sister many years of happy times and memories, which she will treasure and relate to the family.

With Love, Carolyn Eaton Orr and her husband, Arthur Orr

peter meehan

January 24, 2003

Marian

Bill was a giving man. He has helped me so many times when I had trouble around the house. More important he did it with a smile and gave me a feeling that he cared. I will never forget that. If I can ever help you out all you have to do is call. Please know that Jo and I are deeply sorry for you loss.

Pete Meehan

Sabrina Simpson

January 24, 2003

Our thoughts & prayers are with your family at this time. I'm so glad that our families were brought back together.

The Simpsons

John, Sabrina, Josh, Heather & Nathan

Vita Schneider

January 23, 2003

"May Bill's Memory be for a blessing" for that is what he was to all the people who knew him.

At anytime you happen to have been in his life,your life has been enriched Vita (Risoff) Schneider, his cousin.

Claire Stablein

January 23, 2003

What a joy it was to read this obituary about Bill; got a kick out of his driving, w/ or w/o flashing lights. :o) Fond memories of our younger days in Chicago, when we were, oh so very young. This article enabled me to be better acquainted w/ my cousin, as an adult. May God bless you w/ fond memories of your loved one. Claire

Stephen Risoff

January 23, 2003

William Henry Risoff

Known as William or Bill or Willy… he was known by many.

Hardworking-

You learn a lot about a person by what jobs they have performed.

He was in the Navy active duty for 2 Years and then 10 years of reserves.

He assisted in the installation of the Navy’s first radar equipped ship.

Prior to my conception he was a First Aid instruction and a Water Safety Instructor.

He worked as a police radio operator as well as an ambulance driver.

The ambulance driving was never really removed from his system – he drove the same way with or without the flashing lights.

He worked multiple jobs at the same time.

He worked as a switching engineer with the Phone Company for a number of years.

And he was a union electrician for over 25 years.

He designed and developed a switching system still in use today at the CTA.

He had a few rules which I remember to this day

Take it out Put it back, You break it you replace it , I still use these rules today.

Stubborn-

It was his way or the highway.

Sometime this worked for him and sometimes against him.

He told us not to leave things on the driveway. Well…

We made these racers out of stuff we found. Buggy tires and wooden frames.

A couple of days work and we left it on the driveway.

Well he came home from work and we left it on the drive.

He just backed right over it. Never seeing it at all.

You know just like he said…

Well it got the best of him as well.

He was working with a lighting company where a scaffold collapsed and he broke both legs.

It is in the middle of winter and his car was getting buried with snow.

He decided to pull it into the garage…

With two broken legs… Well needless to say he got the car into the garage and well

He was unable to find the brake pedal and he pushed the bench through the back wall of the garage.

Fair –

He treated everyone in daily life the same.

No one was special

Except in an emergency

Power was out and the basements were flooding – he would pump it out.

Camping and the power line was down he would climb the pole and reconnect it.

In the worst winter storms he would take care of snow removal for many people.

A funeral really isn’t for the one who has died… it is for those who are left behind.

Bill leaves behind a loving wife, Marian dedicated to caring for others.

Annie A wonderful sister always open for discussion

Cindy His daughter who is dedicated to assisting the elderly

My brother David and his wife Melony and son Jacob who was the highlight of his life

Myself, my wife Shari and Scott.

In closing I believe we are here to fulfill a purpose in life.

Be it directly or indirectly.

I hope he can see all the lives he has affected.