William Joseph Wetzel Sr.

William Joseph Wetzel, 83, died of lung cancer at his home in Kennesaw, Georgia on May 31, 2015, with his family at his side. He was a graduate of Brooklyn Technical High School, where he was an outstanding football lineman. He obtained a B.S. in engineering from the United States Merchant Marine Academy at Kings Point, NY (class of 1955); he also played football for the Mariners. During his years at Tech and the Academy, he made lifelong friendships and laid the foundation for his later success. The Kings Point motto "Acta non Verba," or "Deeds not Words," was how he lived his life. It was at Kings Point that he met his beloved wife, Martha "Tibby" Sharpe, whom he called the "rock of my life."

William sailed for a year with the Military Sea Transport Service before joining Westinghouse to work in the nuclear submarine program on the Polaris submarine "George Washington." He then worked at several divisions of Occidental Petroleum and ended his career there as a division vice-president. During his time at Occidental he earned an M.B.A at Long Island University and was inducted into the Delta Mu Delta honor society. He retired from business as President of North Chemical, a subsidiary of Interchem in Marietta, Georgia. In retirement his great joys were spending time with family, reading, fly-fishing, and playing poker.

William's boundless determination and capacity for hard work, formidable intellect, and even more formidable commitment to honesty and fair dealing made him a leader in business. His kindness, quick wit, readiness to laugh and amazing generosity made him a loving and much loved son, brother, husband, father, grandfather, uncle and friend. He is survived by wife Martha, children Susan, William Joseph Jr. and wife Kimberly, Sarah and husband Ron, grandchildren William-Peter, Annaleigh, Benjamin and David, sister Helen Sewell, sisters-in-law Audrey Wetzel and Joanne Wetzel, devoted nephew David Lehman, and numerous nieces and nephews.

Private interment at Richland Cemetery, Geistown, Pennsylvania, will take place at a later date.

Online condolences may be made to the family at www.winkenhoferpineridgefuneralhome.com