William R Siler

COLUMBIA - The following is the story of Mr. William Robert Siler, who passed away on Saturday, July 23, 2016 at the ripe old age of eighty-eight. Most folks called him Bill; however, his immediate family referred to him as Bob. He died peacefully, at Wildewood Downs Retirement Community in Columbia, South Carolina. The memorial service will be held at 10:30 a.m. on Wednesday, July 27, 2016, in the Wildewood Downs main dining room. Pastor George Crow will be presiding. The burial shall be held in Fort Jackson Cemetery. Bill was simply a great guy to all! He wished and sought the best for his family, friends, and acquaintances. He had stated multiple times that when this day came we were all to celebrate his life – not be depressed. He was ready to meet his Savior and he knew where his soul was destined to rest: heaven. Born in Cincinnati, Ohio, Bill was the only child of Lottie Mae and Ken Siler. He is survived by: son, Dale Paul Siler of Raleigh, North Carolina; and daughter, Beth Lynn (Kendall) Roth of South Carolina. Bill was also the proud grandfather of five grandchildren: Ryan Paul Siler of Dayton, Ohio; Kelsey Roth Lucas (Sean) of Wilmington, North Carolina; Zachary Adam Siler of Raleigh, North Carolina; David Roth (Kathleen) of Macon, Georgia; and, Amy Rae Siler of Raleigh, North Carolina. Bill grew up in Norwood, Ohio, a small suburb of Cincinnati. He attended Norwood High School but never finished because Uncle Sam called upon him to become a member of the United States Army, where he served four years in Korea. In his junior year at Norwood High School, he met his wife and best friend, Dorothy Jean Brigmon. They were married on June 16, 1951. They shared sixty-four lovely years together. In the latter part of 1951, Bill graduated from the University of Cincinnati and, together, Bill and Dorothy started their long and successful journey when he was hired by Sun Oil Company, which may be better known as Sunoco. He began his career working at a two-bay Sunoco station, selling gasoline, and servicing cars as sales and marketing trainee. Admitting that he was not the smartest employee, he remained the most humble and hardworking. His first territory with Sunoco was in Huntington, West Virginia, and later relocated to Ohio, Florida, Pennsylvania, Oklahoma, New York, New Jersey, Washington D.C., North and South Carolina. His philosophy in life was prioritized by GOD, FAMILY, and COUNTRY. Bill was a God-fearing man, who had a certain way with not only his family, but the many, many employees who worked for him over the years. He could make one feel like a million bucks or as small as a pin point all without ever raising his voice. Bill and Dotty were extremely blessed! God played a large and pivotal role in their lives. They had many friends and Bill helped so many along the way, not only financially but emotionally as well. He was ALWAYS there when one needed him. In addition to serving as a deacon at multiple Baptist churches along the East Coast, Bill chaired financial committees and established new church missions along the way. He was a thirty-two degree Mason, a member of The National Petroleum Council, and a member of the Oklahoma, Arkansas, Southwest, Virginia, and North Carolina Petroleum Marketers Associations along with several other organizations. Bill was a loving husband to his wife, Dorothy Jean, and an outstanding father to his two children, Dale and Beth. He loved animals and, until recently, ALWAYS had a dog! Near the end, he had a cat named “Kitty.” Bill was also a grateful man and on behalf of him, the family would like to thank Ms. Vilma Evans, Mary Capers, and the entire Evans family for all of their assistance. Bill was a passionate Cincinnati Reds fan, a faithful Christian, a proud conservative, and the hardest working individual in ANY room! He never forgot where he came from and he will be remembered as an EXTREMELY generous and compassionate individual. He will be missed greatly. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to Northeast Presbyterian Church, 601 Polo Road, Columbia, SC 29223.