Willard Lauritz "Bill" Harrison

Bill Harrison, a loving husband, devoted father, cherished "Peepaw," entrepreneur, pharmacist, sports enthusiast and veteran, has died. He was 87.
Bill passed away peacefully, surrounded by family, on New Year's Day 2025 at UK Healthcare's Bluegrass Hospice Center in Lexington, Kentucky.
He was a member of Good Shepherd Episcopal Church in Lexington, and had longstanding ties to both Traverse City, Michigan, and Gainesville, Florida, where he spent many happy years among friends and family.
Bill will be mourned by all who knew him, but most of all by his wife Ann, after a loving marriage that spanned 60 years. The blessed union produced three children, five grandchildren, and a lifetime of memories of Gators football games, motorhome trips, and bridge parties with friends.
Willard Laurtiz Harrison was born on Sept. 15, 1937 in Bay City, Michigan, the son of Frank Allen Harrison and Astrid Margaret Harrison (née Larssen). From an early age, he was known to all as Bill.
He graduated from Bullock Creek High School in Midland, Michigan in 1955 and went on to earn a bachelor of science degree from the University of Michigan College of Pharmacy.
After graduating college, Bill served six months of active duty through the Army Reserves, during which time he was stationed at Fort Knox. He went on to fulfill his seven-and-a-half year Ready Reserve commitment while starting a family and launching his career in Gainesville.
There, he worked full-time as acting director of pharmacy and central supply at the University of Florida Teaching Hospital, later known as Shands Hospital, while simultaneously obtaining a master of science degree from the UF Pharmacy School.
On Sept. 26, 1964, Bill married Medora Ann Lewis, after the couple met in the hospital, where she also worked.
While working as a pharmacist at UF, Bill was part of the team of researchers that invented Gatorade in 1965. He helped perfect the first citrus flavoring that made the groundbreaking sports drink palatable for Gators football players, who sweltered on the sidelines during early-season games.
Later in his career, Bill worked and taught at several university pharmacy departments, including the Northeast Louisiana School of Pharmacy, Medical College of Virginia, Touro Infirmary in New Orleans and the Hackensack Hospital Association in New Jersey.
In 1976, Bill and his family returned to Gainesville, where he worked as an associate professor and director of pharmaceutical services at Shands for seven years. He was also an entrepreneur, founding home IV infusion therapy company T2 Medical in 1984, before selling the firm later that decade. After retiring from Shands, he worked as a realtor for several years.
In 1994, Bill and his wife Ann bought a home on Grand Traverse Bay, near the Traverse City homes of Bill's sister and parents. For the next 25 years, the couple split their time between Florida and Michigan, making the biannual trek in their trusty motorhome.
In his free time, Bill enjoyed hunting and fishing, and spent many summer days on his pontoon boat. He was an avid sports fan, following his Michigan Wolverines and holding season tickets for Florida Gators football, basketball, baseball and gymnastics for many years. As well, Ann and Bill's son Todd played football at North Carolina State. They attended every game he played from 1988 through 1991, resulting in many RV trips around the country during those years.
Bill also enjoyed coaching youth baseball, and served on the board of directors at the Northwest Boy's Club in Gainesville. He was an active member of the Rotary Club. In retirement, Bill grew out his bushy white beard each fall to portray Santa Claus in the Alachua, Florida, Christmas parade.
Ann and Bill shared a passion for antiques, which they collected and sold at several antique malls in Florida and Michigan. He particularly liked buying and selling pharmacy-related items and fishing lures.
In 2019, Ann and Bill moved to Lexington to be closer to their daughter, Dianne. There, he continued to enjoy watching Detroit Tigers and Lions games on television, as well as college sports of all kinds.
Bill is survived by his wife Ann Harrison, sister Jill Samuelson (Don), brother Dennis Harrison (Sue), children Dianne Griffith (Mark), Keith Harrison (Robyn), Todd Harrison (Kay), and grandchildren Keith Griffith, Owen Griffith, Annie Griffith, Riley Harrison, and Quinn Harrison.
In lieu of flowers, please consider making a donation in Bill's name to either the Wounded Warrior Project, Hospice of the Bluegrass (bgcarenav.org) or Good Shepherd Episcopal Church (gslex.org).
Funeral services will be held 11 a.m. on Jan. 9 at Good Shepherd Episcopal Church in Lexington. In accordance with his wishes, Bill's ashes are to be scattered at a later date in Grand Traverse Bay, where he spent many happy days with his family.