Obituaries

My dad was born in a town I've never visited, in a state I've never been: Aliquippa, Pennsylvania. It was known for much of the 20th century as a productive steel town though that time has since past. Ronald & Eleanor Serignese had their youngest child, William, on August 1st, 1956. He was welcomed happily into a now sizable family of six, which included two sisters (Roxanne & Rose) and a brother (Gary). The family moved to Dearborn, Michigan. Bill became a youthful member of St. Clement Catholic Church and school. There he formed friendships that would last his entire life. But things did not continue on such a sweet and simple course. At just 10, my dad lost his 39 year old mother to cancer. His pain was compounded, when four short years later, his older brother, just 18 years old, died. Complications from a ruptured appendix caused Gary's untimely death. Between those two heavy losses, another momentous event occurred. At a summer-time carnival, Bill met a girl, just out of ninth grade, named Therese. A decade later they would have me. At Fordson High School, my dad was known as "very cool, handsome, and tall." He was an "excellent dresser, had the "nicest clothes: hip, in-fashion." He had a special artistic talent. And he was a good bowler. Bill was a committed employee at Ford Motor company. He worked for just over thirty years there before taking early retirement. At his corner house in Inkster my dad enjoyed feeding deer and wild turkeys. He loved television shows about cars. A big fan of sports, he enjoyed watching (and complaining about) the many Detroit teams. Among the several voice messages my dad left me, there is one- short, just five seconds long-that now means so much. "Yeah, hi Gary...Dad loves you...bye." I miss him. And that empty feeling will never go way. Bill was preceded in death by his mother Eleanor (d. 1967), his brother Gary (d. 1971), his father Ronald (d. 1987), his sister Rose (d. 2016), and his daughter Lisa (d. 2017). He is survived by his sister Roxanne and his son Gary.

My dad was born in a town I've never visited, in a state I've never been: Aliquippa, Pennsylvania. It was known for much of the 20th century as a productive steel town though that time has since past. Ronald & Eleanor Serignese had their youngest child, William, on August 1st, 1956. He was welcomed happily into a now sizable family of six, which included two sisters (Roxanne & Rose) and a brother (Gary). The family moved to Dearborn, Michigan. Bill became a youthful member of St. Clement Catholic Church and school. There he formed friendships that would last his entire life. But things did not continue on such a sweet and simple course. At just 10, my dad lost his 39 year old mother to cancer. His pain was compounded, when four short years later, his older brother, just 18 years old, died. Complications from a ruptured appendix caused Gary's untimely death. Between those two heavy losses, another momentous event occurred. At a summer-time carnival, Bill met a girl, just out of ninth grade, named Therese. A decade later they would have me. At Fordson High School, my dad was known as "very cool, handsome, and tall." He was an "excellent dresser, had the "nicest clothes: hip, in-fashion." He had a special artistic talent. And he was a good bowler. Bill was a committed employee at Ford Motor company. He worked for just over thirty years there before taking early retirement. At his corner house in Inkster my dad enjoyed feeding deer and wild turkeys. He loved television shows about cars. A big fan of sports, he enjoyed watching (and complaining about) the many Detroit teams. Among the several voice messages my dad left me, there is one- short, just five seconds long-that now means so much. "Yeah, hi Gary...Dad loves you...bye." I miss him. And that empty feeling will never go way. Bill was preceded in death by his mother Eleanor (d. 1967), his brother Gary (d. 1971), his father Ronald (d. 1987), his sister Rose (d. 2016), and his daughter Lisa (d. 2017). He is survived by his sister Roxanne and his son Gary.