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Bill Woytowich - 13 Nov 1942  -  23 Jun 2024

Sad news is next.  Bill Woytowich died on June 23.  HIs daughter wrote a lovely tribute which is printed below.  Please share with Bill’s friends. Thank you.

A good man is gone. My Dad, my teacher.

Dad was a devoted life-long teacher and educational administrator in three states (OH, MO, AK)  and Guam. His booming voice commanded attention and kept students in line, but underneath, those who knew him knew he was the kindest, sweetest man without a mean bone in his body. In conjunction with teaching, my parents owned a travel agency in Juneau, and I vividly remember Dad taking students and families on tours to exotic countries. Upon returning, we gathered in the living room to watch his slide show and listen as he shared their adventures and taught us about the culture and people of the countries they visited. He loved color, exotic art pieces, and food, especially Asian; the spicier, the better. While his first and only language was English, he learned basic phrases in others and enjoyed using what he knew whenever and with whomever he could. He could and would initiate a conversation with anyone and freely share his life stories (and ours!) with those willing to listen or caught in his proximity.

He tried hard to get my siblings, me, and his grandchildren to love coin and stamp collecting as much as he did. He was a well-respected master at this dying art. What I did learn to love, especially as I got older, was listening to him talk about his collections, why they interested him, and why they were impressive historically. Dad had a fantastic memory for facts and information, which I sadly did not inherit, although he regularly forgot or confused everyone’s names, including his family’s. He was especially good at history and geography, and his outstanding sense of direction never led us astray.

When I was 14, he taught me how to drive a moped to get to my first summer job cleaning a daycare center, and I learned to drive his blue Suzuki stick shift on Guam so I could take my sisters and me to school. He was my first open-water dive partner. No matter how much weight he added to the dive belt, he couldn’t keep his body submerged. It didn’t matter that he didn’t complete the course; he snorkeled above, pointing out the fish while I dove below. His 6.2 frame stood above the crowd, especially while living in Guam. When I was in middle school, we permed our straight, thin blond hair together, and we both looked dorky. I attended Inarjan High School in 9th grade before enrolling in Notre Dame HS, and I’ll never forget when he coached the girls’ softball team and the umpire threw him out of the game for berating me for not understanding what “take the pitch” meant. We both learned a lesson that day and laughed about it later.

I got ready for school with the smell of coffee, toasted L’Eggo My Eggo waffles, and the authoritative voice of the morning news host wafting in the air. He was a sports reporter for the Pacific Daily News, and I wrote articles for the University of Guam’s Triton’s Call. Shortly after graduating, I left NewsTalk K57 to earn my MA in the States; he became the host of the station’s Education talk show. As his mobility and eyesight deteriorated over the last five years, his collection of magnifying glasses grew while he slowly sold his collection of stamps and coins. The TV and computer screens became larger, and his computer keypad had extra large yellow letters and numbers on black to help him see what he typed. Dad became vision impaired and lost the privilege to drive; however, he learned to drive the supermarket electric chairs — a bit scary for all.

Last month, I traveled with Dad and Mom on what was to be his last airplane flight to a Woytowich family wedding, where they won an award for being the longest-married couple. Mom spun and twirled Dad around the floor in his first and last dance in a wheelchair. Thank you for sharing your Rice Chex, Dad. You’re my number one teacher. I learned so much from you. You are loved and always will be, your eldest daughter.

November 13, 1943 (OH) - June 23, 2024 (AZ) | RIP Walter William Woytowich, or is it William Walter Woytowich?! Either way, it’s WWW! I know you’re laughing. AKA: Bill, Wally Dear, Pépé, and Ap’a