Bill Dauer

1925 - 2016

Bill Dauer

1925-2016

Bill Dauer of Lodi passed away on November 3, 2016. He was born in Havelock, Nebraska on July 16, 1925, to Bill and Elsie Dauer, who he referred to as his lifetime hero's.

His Marine Corps life was spent with the First Raiders Bn. and the 22nd Regiment, 6th Marine Division, in the Pacific. He was wounded on the Guam and Okinawa island engagements in 1944 and 1945. His college degrees from the University of Nebraska and Wesleyan in finance were much needed gifts from the G.I. Bill.

Immediately entering the Chamber of Commerce management, he headed organizations in Lexington and Grand Island Nebraska, Springfield and Kansas City Missouri, ending with 19 years in San Francisco. He served as President of the Nebraska, Missouri, and California Chamber of Commerce as well as the 2800 member American C. of C. Executives and was a member of the board of directors of the U.S. Chamber in Washington D.C.

While in Kansas City, he negotiated a 49% purchase of the Kansas City A's (now Oakland A's) for local interests, co-chaired the move of the Dallas Texans to become the Kansas City Chiefs.

In San Francisco he served on the advisory board of the S.F. Giants and purchased the first tickets at the new Candlestick Park in 1966. He founded the Bay Area Sports Hall of Fame, which still flourishes, and he has raised more than $4 million for equipment for the youth sports. He served on the Redwood Bank and California Blue Shield Boards as well as five Bay Area board of directors and executive committees.

Bill and his wife Shirley moved to Lodi in retirement in 1988 where he spent his time volunteering to assist the Lodi Memorial Hospital Foundation, Chamber of Commerce, Loel Foundation, Salvation Army, Sirs, and United Way. As a Sports fanatic, he also loved golf and was so proud of his "Hole In One" at Woodbridge G. C. C. on the 215 yard, 16th hole and his paring the impossible 18th at Pebble Beach on his 80th birthday.

Bill and Shirley traveled through out the United States, Europe and Asia and were happy to settle in Lodi and spend time with their children, Lori, Brad, Chris, Pat and Dan, their families and 13 Grandchildren.

Bill was an excellent and interesting Public Speaker. He could and did, without notes, speak on any given subject, at any time, with knowledge and humor. He was never at a loss for words and loved an audience.

Bill was a kind, thoughtful and caring man. He will be very much missed by his wife, children, and many friends.

In Accordance to Bill's wishes his body was donated to University of California School of Medicine, San Francisco. A Celebration of Life will be announced at a later date. A guest book may be signed at www.lodifuneralhome.com where memories can be shared.