William Sinclair Isbister

Isbister, William Sinclair entered eternal life on November 9th, 2018 at the age of 84 after a multi-year battle with cancer. Survived by his beloved wife, Janet (Daggett, nee Schepers) Isbister, daughters Carol (Michael) Rolnick of Carlsbad, California, Karen (Todd) Schmidt of Menomonee Falls, Wisconsin, Susan (Patrick) Blake of Norfolk, Virginia and son, Dr. Bradley (Dr. Elizabeth) Isbister of Fort Wayne, Indiana and grandchildren Susan Isbister, Lauren Isbister, Adam Rolnick, Ellen Isbister, Jordan Schmidt, Hannah Rolnick, Nathan Schmidt, Wesley Blake and Laurel Blake. Also survived by sister-in-law Eleanor (William) Bayne of Chestertown, Maryland and brother-in-law David Cleland of Fort Myers, Florida. Preceded in death by his parents, William Sinclair Isbister, Sr. and Bernice (Swann) Isbister, his first wife Ruth Cleland Isbister and his daughter Nancy J. Isbister. Born in Philadelphia, Bill grew up in Lansdowne, Pennsylvania. He graduated from Greenbrier Military School and Drexel University. Bill served on active duty in the US Army in Germany as a cryptographic team chief. Bill was employed by PepsiCo, Inc. for 13 years in a variety of financial management positions in Philadelphia, New York City, Columbus, Ohio and Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Over the next 16 years he served as President and CEO of three Milwaukee firms, Colart Corporation, Writing Sales Division of Matex, Inc. and Northern Light Company. His last 15 years of employment were devoted to the cause of economic literacy, serving as President of the Wisconsin Council on Economic Education and as Director of Network Development for the New York based National Council on Economic Education. Upon his retirement, he was honored by the National Council on Economic Education with their Distinguished Service Award. Bill was a member of Community United Methodist Church in Elm Grove. He was active in the Elmbrook Rotary Club, and served as a Director and Treasurer for many years. Bill was recently elected the first Director Emeritus of the Elmbrook Rotary Foundation. Together with his wife, he was a Paul Harris Fellow, a member of the Bequest Society of Rotary International and the Legacy Society of the Elmbrook Rotary Foundation. He previously served as Moderator of the Presbytery of Milwaukee. He was a member of the University Club of Milwaukee and served on the boards of the Wisconsin Council on Economic Education, Asset Builders of America, and Juniper and Canticle Courts of the Sisters of St. Francis of Assisi. He served as President of the Greenbrier Military School Alumni Association and was recently named "Mr. Greenbrier" for his many years of service to the organization. Visitation will be Tuesday, November 13th between 4:00PM and 7:00PM at the funeral home. The funeral service will be on Wednesday, November 14th at 11:00AM at Community United Methodist Church (14700 Watertown Plank Road, Elm Grove). Interment will follow at Wisconsin Memorial Park with military honors. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to GMSAA (Greenbrier Military School Alumni Association) Leadership Scholarship Fund, PO Box 922, Lewisburg, WV 24901; the Brookfield Rotary Foundation, PO Box 1014, Brookfield, WI 53008-1014; Community United Methodist Church, Elm Grove, WI; or the charity of your choice.