William W. Giegerich

William W. "Bill" Giegerich, age 86 of Glen Arbor, peacefully passed away on Tuesday September 12, 2023.

Bill was born on November 9, 1936, in Louisville, Kentucky to a family in desperate financial circumstances, and put in an orphanage to get proper care. His birth family had hoped to return for him, but he was adopted by a wonderful couple.

His mother had Kentucky roots, but Bill grew up in Queens Village, NY. His father was a newspaperman and took Bill fishing all over Long Island. The small family enjoyed many outings to Manhattan for entertainment, with Radio City Music Hall being a particular favorite.

Bill graduated from Massanutten Military Academy, Class of 1955. After graduation, he served two years in the Air Force, ending at Stewart Air Force Base. He then attended Baruch College. He had varied careers in law enforcement, sales, and business.

After New York, Bill lived many years in Atlanta, Georgia, where he frequented several deli's that approached NYC standards. The matinee listings for Atlanta's many second-run and arthouse movie theaters got scanned every weekend, often leading to jaunts on Saturday and Sunday. He also visited nearby Civil War sites, including Andersonville Prison (where his wife Sally lost two family members) and re-enactments at Resaca. Bill was an avid University of Georgia football fan and watched many games with his sons John and Bill.

When Atlanta became too crowded, Bill and Sally moved to her family's cottage on Glen Lake. They enjoyed listening to classical music and driving the backroads of Northern Michigan with their dogs (first Chuck, then Sonny and Monty).

In the 1990s, he was able to reconnect with his Anderson birth family in Kentucky. Much later, he made contact with his first son, who was placed for adoption after a brief teenage marriage.

He is survived by his sons John (Stephanie), Bill (Kim), and Jim (Helen) Caruso, stepdaughter Sheila (Fred Lane) Terry, grandson Michael Giegerich, and his lovingly rehomed dog Harley.

Bill was preceded in death by his parents William and Virginia, his daughter Joanne, his stepson Jeff Terry, and his wife Suzanne "Sally" Terry Giegerich.

Per Bill's wishes, there will be a private inurnment in Maple Grove Cemetery in Empire. Memorial contributions may be made to Cherryland Humane Society.

Please share a memory with the family at www.oakgrovefh.com. Arrangements by Oak Grove Funeral Home & Cremation Center in Manistee.