Leroy William "'Bill'" Myers II

Leroy William 'Bill' Myers II, a journey of accomplishment and service: early life and education

THE VILLAGES, Fla. - Leroy William "Bill" Myers II passed away Saturday (Jan. 3, 2026) surrounded by his family.

Born August. 2, 1939, in Cleveland, Ohio, Bill began his schooling at Fruitland Park Elementary School.

At age twelve, his family relocated to Independence, Ohio, where he attended Independence elementary, junior and senior high schools. Demonstrating academic excellence, Bill graduated as valedictorian from his class of 48 in 1957.

After completing high school, Bill went on to study at General Motors Institute in Flint, Mich. He participated in a co-op program that combined work and study, earning bachelor's degrees in metallurgical engineering and mechanical engineering.

His professional journey started at General Motors Terex Division, serving as a welding engineer from 1957 until 1971. Subsequently, he joined Dresser Clark (later known as Dresser Rand and Ingersoll-Rand) in Olean, N.Y., where he continued his engineering pursuits until retiring in 2000.

Alongside his engineering career, Bill valued education and imparted welding technology knowledge to technical students. His expertise and commitment led him to become president of the American Welding Society from 2000 to 2001, highlighting his leadership in advancing the field of welding technology.

Bill married Judith Lynn Hartmann on Oct. 3, 1959. They raised five children: Katherine (married to Robert Edenhofer) of Ocklawaha, Sandra (married to Scott Seth) of The Villages, Craig (married to Sharon Boyack) of Cuba, N.Y., Jill (married to Franco Esposito) of Summerfield and David, residing in Washington state.

Upon retiring in 2001, Bill and Judith settled in The Villages. Bill remained an active participant in his community, acting as commander of the Harris Chain of Lakes and instructing new boaters in safe boating practices. He was also devoted to his faith, serving as church president, lay minister and choir member at Immanuel Lutheran Church in Olean and Trinity Lutheran in Summerfield.

He is survived by his children and his sister, Coralee (married to John Leimer) of Jacksonville. Bill leaves behind four grandchildren, Joshua Firkins (married to Martha), Tiffany Firkins (married to Ally), Amanda (married to Matthew Fort-Martinez) and Kaitlyn Phillips; as well as 11 great-grandchildren.

Bill was preceded in death by his wife Judith; parents, Leroy Myers and Coradine Adler Myers; and siblings, Robert Myers and Ronald Myers.

A private memorial service will be held at a later date.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made in Bill's memory to the Alzheimer's Association at: http://act.alz.org/goto/Leroy_William_Myers.