William Joseph Wermeling

Wermeling, William Joseph (70) passed away peacefully on April 12, 2013, surrounded by his loving family. He was born June 21, 1942 in Erie, Pennsylvania and the family moved to Tampa, Florida, in 1949. He attended Mitchell Elementary, Wilson Junior High, and H. B. Plant High School in Tampa. He graduated from the University of Miami, Florida ("The U") with a Business and Marketing degree and was immediately hired by the General Foods Corporation JELLO Division (now Kraft Foods). After 31 years of various management assignments, including Sales North America, he retired in 1996.

He married in 1964 and had three wonderful children, Paul, Tara, and Susan, whom he dearly loved. He married Nancy E. Wilkins, the love of his life, in 1997 who has two children, Melissa and Bob, whom he also dearly loved. He fully enjoyed life, friends, and family, as well as world travel, golf, downhill skiing (especially in the mountains of Utah), genealogy, theatre and the arts, sports of all sorts, and recruiting students for his alma mater, the "U".

His business career was a rewarding experience and he enjoyed every challenge, especially within the management of the largest grocery chains in the world. Throughout his career he gained much respect even though he did it "his way" which also resulted in many lifetime friendships. His General Foods friendships lasted well after his retirement in 1996 where up to 100+ friends met yearly for camaraderie and golf. His ongoing pursuit of knowledge, especially surfing the web, was a daily activity, and he loved the information gained through his "smart phone". Even after he was diagnosed with an incurable disease (acute myeloid leukemia), he enjoyed life every day and he believed his life was gloriously blessed.

He was preceded in death by his parents Margaret B. Wermeling who lived to age 95, by his father, Kenneth J. Wermeling, and by his sister Barbara M. Rohde.

He is survived by his beloved wife, Nancy; son, Paul J. Wermeling; daughter, Tara M. Snellings; son-in-law, Steve Snellings; daughter, Susan S. Young; daughter, Melissa A. Manges; son-in-law, Troy Manges; son, Robert W. Proudfit; daughter-in-law, Jen Proudfit; eleven grandchildren, Nicholas S. Wermeling, Jason R. Snellings, Matthew J. Snellings, Meghan M. Snellings, Madeline G. Young, Evan M. Manges, Charles M. Manges ("Marty"), Carson R. Proudfit, Xavier F. Wermeling, Sophia P. Young, and Landon C. Proudfit who were his pride and joy. He enjoyed being with all of his grandchildren whenever he could, especially at the beach in Florida.

His memorial service will take place at The Community of the Good Shephard, a Catholic parish at 8815 E. Kemper Road in Montgomery near Cincinnati, Ohio 45249 on Thursday, April 18, 2013, at 10:00 a.m. A memorial service will also be held in Tampa at a date to be determined. The family welcomes donations in his name to Hospice of Cincinnati, 4360 Cooper Road, Cincinnati, Ohio 45242 which gave him and the family such wonderful loving care and support, The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society (LLS), 1311 Mamaroneck Ave., White Plains, NY 10605 or the charity of your choice.