William Joseph Maurer

Bronston - On February 5, 2026, William "Willie" Joseph Maurer passed away. His passing was sudden and unexpected, but he was surrounded by love.

William was born on September 20, 1961, in Columbus, Ohio, to loving parents David and Joyce Maurer, who preceded him in death. He was raised in Charleston, Illinois, where his love for the outdoors first took root-fishing local ponds and dreaming of bigger adventures. He later earned his bachelor's degree from Eastern Illinois University in 1982, setting the stage for a life defined by curiosity, movement, and meaningful experiences.

From an early age, Willie embraced adventure. His travels took him to national parks across California, Montana, Washington, and Western Canada. He made annual fishing trips to Lake Vieux Desert in Wisconsin and Manitoba, Canada, places that held lifelong significance for him. Lake Vieux Desert, in particular, was deeply meaningful-he spent many childhood summers there and always spoke of those days as some of his happiest memories. Fishing, camping, and being outdoors were not just hobbies; they were how he connected, reflected, and loved.

After college, Willie headed west with his best friend Steve Rissman, traveling through Colorado on the way to California. He later returned to the Midwest, where he met the love of his life, Keely Maurer. They were married in 1984 and soon set off on another adventure together, moving to Colorado and falling in love with the mountains. They embraced all that Colorado had to offer-from skiing and hiking to building lifelong friendships along the way.

With the birth of their first child, Willie and Keely returned to the Midwest, where he settled into a career at the water company and devoted himself to raising their four children. Family was always at the center of his life. He loved taking them on vacations-ski trips, fishing getaways, camping trips, many cherished family vacations to Florida, and countless adventures that took them to New York, Wisconsin, Kentucky, Ocracoke Island, and campgrounds all over the country. He also treasured spending Christmases with his parents, David and Joyce Maurer, traditions that became some of the family's most meaningful and lasting memories.

In his final year, Willie fully embraced his love of travel. He spent that time seeing the country by train, cruising, and visiting places he had never been before. He also found joy in revisiting special destinations from past family vacations-reflecting, reminiscing, and creating new memories tied to places that had long held meaning for him.

Willie also had a deep passion for gardening and took great pride in his yard. Caring for his plants and watching things grow brought him peace and joy, and his yard reflected the care, patience, and pride he put into everything he loved.

Willie was incredibly proud of his grandchildren, and that pride will always be part of his legacy. He cherished time with all eight of them and made it a priority in his later years and early retirement to be close to his children and grandchildren-whom he loved beyond measure.

William is survived by his wife, Keely Maurer; his sister, Beth Friedman; his four children, Adam Maurer, Katie McNabb, Sarah Fisher, and Emma Badgett; sons-in-law Doug McNabb and Jeremy Badgett; his future daughter-in-law Kaiti McGill; and his eight beloved grandchildren, James, Jude, Remy, Harrison, Harper, Myles, Teagan, and Hazel.

The family has decided to hold a private memorial service in March at his Kentucky home to honor his life.

We will miss him more than words can say. We will miss his cute letters, his silliness, his unwavering Ohio State pride, and his lists for absolutely anything and everything. Those small, wonderful details are where his love lived. His adventurous spirit, devotion to family, and the memories he created-outdoors, at home, and together-will stay with us always.