William N. Stehle Sr.

William "Bill" Stehle Sr., a devoted husband, father, grandfather, great-grandfather, veteran, and a respected engineer, passed away peacefully, at the age of 85 surrounded by his family. Born on October 15, 1939 in Annapolis, MD to the late Frederick Norris and Mary Ida Stehle, Bill attended St. Mary's Elementary School and graduated from St. Mary's High School in 1957. From early mornings, altar serving before school at St. Mary's Catholic Church, to later being the lead engineer designing additions to Holy Family Catholic Church, he spent his life as a devout Catholic serving his community. As a teenager, he spent many summers building houses with his father and uncle, and even became a firefighter/EMT where he selflessly provided life saving care to many. A man of many talents and unwavering dedication, Bill served his country with honor as a member of the U.S. Army's 82nd Airborne Division. After his military service, he earned his undergraduate degrees in Civil Engineering and Fire Protection Engineering, where he was part of the first graduating class of fire protection engineers from University of Maryland, College Park. In addition to his studies, he was a dual-sport college athlete in both football and lacrosse. He pursued more education in civil engineering and obtained his master's degree from University of Maryland, then followed by a doctorate degree from American University. For over sixty years, Bill worked tirelessly as an engineer. In 1977, he started his own engineering firm, Stehle Engineering Corporation. For nearly 40 years, he was instrumental in the design and execution of numerous residential, commercial, and industrial properties including, Saint Mary's the Assumption Catholic Church and Holy Family Catholic Church, Fox Hall Estates, Bob Hall, Inc. (Anheuser Busch Distributor), Buck Distributing (Miller Distributor), Rental Tools and Equipment Company, Six Flags Amusement Park, restaurants, and subdivisions within Anne Arundel and Prince George's County. He worked as the Chief Building Inspector for Prince George's County and even today there are many Use and Occupancy Certificates that still display his name as the signatory. He also assisted in establishing the local Life Safety and Fire Protection Codes for Prince George's County, many of which are still in use today. Being an engineer was Bill's passion and calling and he continued to work until the summer of 2024.
Alongside his professional life, he found joy on his family's six-acre property in Davidsonville, MD where he hosted countless birthday parties, graduations, reunions, First Holy Communions, and even a wedding. He was always working on projects around the house but enjoyed gardening the most. Bill was known for his warm hospitality, photogenic smile, being an avid Maryland Terps fan, and his appreciation for a well-made Manhattan-or an ice-cold Beck's beer. Bill is survived by his beautiful, loving wife of nearly 40 years, Mary Shourds; his children, Theresa (Alain) Kurtz, William "Chip" (Lori) Stehle, Jr., Susie (Pete) Jones, Megan (Jesse) Tiralla, Erin (John) and Cameron (Kelsey) Stehle; his grandchildren, George (Breanna) Robinson, Justin (Virginia), Michael (Emily) and Bethany Stehle, Elle Jones, Braeden and Emmett Tiralla, Noelle Metheny and Blake Stehle; his great-grandchildren, Brayden and Kenji Robinson and his sisters, Bettie Giacofi and Marilyn (Angelo) Forleo. William Stehle's legacy is one of service, strength, and deep love for his family, faith and community. He will be deeply missed and forever remembered.
A memorial gathering will be held on Monday, June 16 from 5 to 7 pm at Holy Family Catholic Church, 826 W. Central Ave., Davidsonville, MD where Mass of the Resurrection will be celebrated on Tuesday, June 17 at 11 am. In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to The Wounded Warrior Project (online here) or Catholic Charities (online here).
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