William Robert English

William R. English, 84, of Lake Forest, Ill. (formerly of Raleigh, N.C. and La Quinta, Calif.) died suddenly on Friday, July 9, 2010 due to congestive heart failure and after declining health. He was born on March 31, 1926 in Denver, Colo. He was the youngest of two children born to the late Paul Willard English and Frances Helena English (nee Mutziger). In addition to his parents; his older sister, Eileen English Reeves; wife, Janet Swingle English; and son, Robert David English, also preceded him in death. Bill was raised in Cheyenne, Wyo. where his father worked for the Union Pacific Railroad. Upon graduation from high school in 1944, he entered the U.S. Army Air Corps. He was trained as a radar operator on the B-29 Superfortress bomber. After the war ended Bill attended the University of Wyoming in Laramie, Wyo. where he graduated with a Bachelor of Science degree in electrical engineering. Upon graduation from college he worked for IBM where he met and married his beloved wife, Janet. He spent his career working for IBM during the rapid growth of the computer industry. Early in their married life, Janet and Bill lived in many cities throughout the western United States before moving east to New York and eventually to Raleigh, N.C. in 1970. After the death of his wife in 2006, Bill moved to Minden, Nev. near Lake Tahoe. In September 2009, he came to live with his daughter and her family in Lake Forest, Ill. Bill touched the lives of many people. He was a loving husband, devoted father, proud grandfather, and well-respected friend and neighbor. He will be remembered for his generosity and grateful heart. He will be greatly missed by all who knew and loved him. Surviving are his two daughters and their spouses, Debra Lynn English DiLaurenzio and husband, Matthew DiLaurenzio of Levittown, N.Y. and Carole English "Penny" LeMay and husband, James R. LeMay of Lake Forest. Also surviving are his two grandsons, Michael J. LeMay and Matthew W. LeMay, both of Lake Forest. A Memorial Service celebrating Bill's life will be held on August 28, 2010 at Grace United Methodist Church, 244 E. Center Avenue, Lake Bluff, IL. Pastor Deborah Fisher will officiate. The family will receive friends at a dinner reception, held at the Deer Path Inn in Lake Forest, immediately following the memorial service on August 28th. In lieu of flowers memorial contributions may be made to the Shepherd of the Valley United Methodist Church Building Fund, P.O. Box 1805, Indio, CA 92202. For more information: Wenban Funeral Home, Lake Forest, Il 847-234-0022 or www.wenbanfh.com