William Patrick Galbraith

Bill was born in Peoria, Illinois, graduated from Spalding Catholic High School in 1965 and joined the United States Navy in 1966 as a Communications Technician 2nd Class. His tour of duty included two years in Edzell, Scotland and two years at Karamursel Air Base near Istanbul, Turkey. After discharge, he attended Southern Illinois University in Architecture & Design. He started his first job in Design and Visual Merchandising in Bloomington, Illinois where he met and married Jody Alesandrini. They were married on October 21, 1978 at St. Joseph’s Catholic Church in Pekin.

Bill served as the Director of Design, Display, and Store Planning for several corporations, beginning his career in central Illinois with Bergner’s Department Stores. He and Jody later relocated to Phoenix before eventually settling in the Denver area. He worked for over 40 years designing many new large Department Stores and later corporate office spaces across the mid and western US.

Bill was an avid hiker and lover of travel and adventure. He along with wife Jody visited many countries, and he especially enjoyed photography, camping, and cooking. He loved heading out in the camper and traveling the US visiting many National Parks. He delighted friends and family with his culinary skills and video compilations that he produced and shared of the couple’s many camping and international trips. Bill loved the outdoors and communing with nature whether on a ski slope, golf course, fishing stream, or just enjoying the back yard garden.

Bill is survived by his wife, Jody (Alesandrini) Galbraith of Denver. He is also survived by his sister, Sue Galbraith Logsdon of Beardstown, Illinois; his brother, James L. Galbraith (Joan) of Sun City, Arizona; brother-in-law, Carlo Alesandrini (Barbara) of Berkeley, California; sisters-in-law Kathy Alesandrini (Melvin Eddy, deceased) of Camarillo, California and Janelle Alesandrini of Pekin; and twelve nieces and nephews.

Bill was preceded in death by his parents Ray Herbert Galbraith and Verna Mae Hargan, and his brother Benjamin R. Galbraith.

His celebration of life gathering will be held from 1:30 to 4 p.m. Sunday, October 20, 2024 at the Pekin Park Pavilion located in Mineral Springs Park. A graveside ceremony will be held at noon on Friday, October 18, 2024 at Lakeside Cemetery in Pekin. Father Robert Lampitt will officiate and military rites will be accorded by the United States Navy and the Tazewell Area Ceremonial Team. Local arrangements have been entrusted to Preston-Hanley Funeral Homes & Crematory in Pekin.