William Gennrich

1941 - 2025

Amid his Arizona family, William ("Bill," "Gumdrop") A Gennrich passed away peacefully on November 26, 2025, during the early eve of his favorite holiday, Thanksgiving.

Bill was born on January 30, 1941 in Merrill, Wisconsin, to Merle Ann (Weber) and William Carl Michael Gennrich.

Upon graduating from St. John's Lutheran Elementary School and Merrill High School, Bill enlisted in the US Army and served 3 years in an ASA Control Group, primarily in Manila, Philippines.

After his Honorable Discharge on June 20, 1962, he enrolled in the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire where he excelled for 3 years on the UW-EC Debate Team coached by the legendary Professor Grace Walsh. Her Debate Teams, including Bill, regularly and successfully competed against the finest and most elite collegiate forensics squads in America, including Harvard, Yale, Cornell and other Ivy League Schools.

Bill completed his undergraduate degree at UW Madison and then enrolled in UW Law School in Madison, receiving his Juris Doctor degree in the late sixties. He practiced privately in Merrill, Wisconsin for a couple years before returning to UW Madison to earn a graduate degree in education and a teaching certification. For almost 40 years he taught Advanced Placement courses in economics and political science to college-bound juniors & seniors at Sun Prairie High School just outside Madison. He endeared himself to his students with wit, intelligence, sense of humor and personality and was highly regarded by his faculty peers and administrators as well.

Bill loved to fish and play golf, often combining those activities on extended weekend and summer vacation trips, including regular visits to Phoenix with his brothers for almost 20 years during which he was lucky to play most of the well-known and highly rated golf courses in the Valley of the Sun. Bill was also a life-long Wisconsin Badgers and Green Bay Packers fan, attending as many of their games as possible.

Bill is survived by his 3 brothers: Mark Arnold Gennrich, his wife Joanie (Peterson) of Rochester, Minnesota and their 3 daughters, Heide, Laurie & Sarah; Peter Michael Gennrich, his wife Margo (Lindauer) of Scottsdale, Arizona and Peter and his former wife Glenda ("Jeanie) Jean (Hall) Gennrich's 2 sons, Jeffrey & Craig; Timothy ("Timm") John Gennrich, his wife Kathleen ("Kathy") (Farrell) of Fountain Hills, Arizona; and many nieces and nephews. Bill is also survived by his step-sister Christine (Emanuel) Grunwald of Neenah, Wisconsin and her 2 sons, Eric & Nathan and his step-brother John Emanuel of Whitefish Bay, Wisconsin.

Bill was predeceased by his mother & father, Merle Ann and William C M Gennrich, his step-mother Adeline (Emanuel) Gennrich, his step-brother Gerald Grunwald and several aunts and uncles.

Funeral arrangements are being handled by Hansen Desert Hills Mortuary, 6500 E Bell Road, Scottsdale, AZ 85254. There will be no public viewing or service. A private committal service (for his Arizona family & friends) with military honors will be held in the future at the Arizona National Veterans Cemetery where Bill will be permanently inurned.

Bill's family requests no flowers; any honorariums should be made payable to the Merrill Area Public School District to fund the William C and Merle A Gennrich Scholarship Fund which Bill created to benefit needy and worthy graduating students at Merrill High School, and they should be sent directly to Hansen Desert Hills Mortuary, 6500 E Bell Road, Scottsdale, AZ 85254. Visit hansenmortuary.com for online condolences.

Bill and his family gratefully acknowledge the contributions of their dear friends in Madison who helped ease life for Bill while he lived in Madison, especially Lorraine ("Lulli") and Dick ('Schnitz) Snyder and Judy and Toby Ginder.

Bill and his family also want to express their heartfelt appreciation to those who lovingly cared for Bill during his last several months, especially Natividad ("Natty") Garcia and Nayelli ("Nancy") Nacaspaca at his Colten Group Home and his Hospice of the Valley caregivers April, Gina & Natalie.