William "Bill" Stillwell

William Thomas "Bill" Stillwell
June 21, 1942 - January 9, 2016
William Thomas "Bill" Stillwell passed away peacefully January 9, 2016 in Modesto, California at the age of 72. A native of Portland, Oregon, Bill resided in Modesto for last 19 years and was a loved member of Shelter Cove Community Church for the past 20 years. Bill traveled extensively throughout his life. After attending 13 schools growing up in Oregon and later Southern California, he graduated from Mira Costa High School, but not before meeting Karen Jean Bailey at a Church Youth Group function. After a brief courtship, they began their 54 year marriage at the tender age of eighteen, and over the next 5 years they had three sons, David, Russell, and Jeffery. Together they lived in San Jose, California, Brussels, Belgium, and Riyadh, Saudi Arabia through Bill's career with the FMC Corporation.
After retiring in 2000, Bill continued to be active in his second career as the proprietor of the Big O Tires on Prescott Road through 2007. He took pride in giving back to the community through tutoring adult readers, coat drives for kids, philanthropic efforts through his Men's Bible Study group and his Church Family. Bill enjoyed traveling throughout his retirement, whether driving to Maine to see the fall leaves in an old Lincoln Town Car with Karen, floating a canal boat through the English Countryside with longtime friends, or steering his Diesel Pusher through the Redwoods with his gang of RVers.
Bill is survived by his wife of 54 years, Karen and his sons David G.(wife Melissa) and Jeffery C. (wife Barbara) having been preceded in death by his son Russell. He is survived by his beloved granddaughter April Jean Hill Stillwell Peacock and her husband Nicolai. He is survived by sister Beverly Gaither of Hillsborough, OR and brother Robert Stillwell of Athens, Greece, several nieces and nephews, as well as unofficially adopted grandkids.
A Celebration of Bill's life will be held Saturday, February 6 at 10:30 am in the Shelter Cove Community Church Event Center with a reception to follow. In lieu of flowers it was Bill's wish to donate to Terry Freitas Ministries, Agape Home, The Histiocytosis Association or a charity of your choosing in the spirit of helping others.
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