William J. "Bill" Forlenza

Forlenza, William J. "Bill" 74, died November 16, 2008, at St. Luke's Medical Center. Born August 14, 1934, to the late John and Alta (Bushno) Forlenza in Chicago, Illinois, he graduated from Harper High School in 1952 and proudly served in the U.S. Marine Corps from 1954 to 1958. Bill married Mary (Stephens) Forlenza September 12, 1959. They moved to Milwaukee and raised their family in the home on Milwaukee's northwest side where they have lived since 1966. Bill was a maintenance supervisor at several Milwaukee-area hospitals, including St. Joseph's, Columbia and West Allis Memorial, and a service technician for American Sterlizer/Steris. A quietly spiritual man, family brought Bill his greatest happiness. He was the proud father of eight children and eight grandchildren, with a ninth on the way. Bill was a master storyteller with a wicked sense of humor who loved an audience. Most of all, Bill will be remembered for his kindness and acceptance of others, ability to make others feel special, and willingness to help anyone who needed a hand. October 19, 1998, Bill received a miraculous gift of life, a new heart. He was thankful every day for the new lease on life organ donation gave him, and was an inspiration to everyone around him. He was our hero. Bill is survived by his wife of 49 years, Mary; his children, Mary (Nick Kovacs), Carolynne (Frank Corrao), Lisa, William (Raschida Mertens), Susanne (Dave Hermann), Jennifer Espinoza-Forlenza (Carlos), Michael (Leah) and Karen (Ted Mihas); and his grandchildren Clarissa "Peeper" Forlenza, Dominic Hermann, Giavanna Forlenza-Mihas, Logan and Reid Kovacs, Frank Corrao, Gabriel and Raphael Espinoza-Forlenza and the soon to be born William Frank Forlenza. A celebration of Bill's life will be held Sunday, November 30, at Wisconsin Memorial Park, 13235 W. Capitol Dr., Brookfield at 12:00 noon, with a service at 2:00 PM. Bill's family thanks the donor family, whose actions made his last ten years possible, and the many doctors and staff at St. Luke's and Midwest Dialysis Center. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made to St. Luke's Medical Center Heart Transplant or Cancer Survivorship Funds.