William Henry Wishard IV, 64, of Port Charlotte, Florida, beloved husband, father, grandfather, and son died on January 31, 2009.
Bill died unexpectedly at Sarasota Memorial Hospital and was surrounded by family and close friends. He was born on November 11, 1944 in Indianapolis, Indiana to Doris and William Wishard III, grew up in Tampa, Florida and graduated from Plant High School in 1962. He served proudly and with honor in the United States Marine Corps.
Bill attended the United States Naval Academy and graduated from the University of South Florida. He had a distinguished and enjoyable career with Florida Power and Light and the City of Punta Gorda. Bill recently joined his wife Kristine in operating Gateway Management Group.
He cherished and enjoyed many long lasting friendships during his lifetime. A strong believed in serving his community, he did so with many organizations including The United Way, The Charlotte County Chamber of Commerce, The YMCA and Good Samaritans of Charlotte County. He also enjoyed spending time boating and traveling to visit dear friends.
Bill is survived by his loving wife of nine years, Kristine Wishard; mother, Doris Prince; sons, Bill Wishard V, John Wishard, Jeff
Wishard and Sam Wishard; grandchildren,
Tyler Wishard and Chelsea Wishard, and many other cherished friends
and family members. Words best used to describe Bill would be Honorable, Hilarious, Lovable, Compassionate, Sociable, and Loyal. The Best.
There will be a celebration to honor Bill on Sunday, February 8, 2009, at the Port Charlotte Beach Complex. The celebration will be from Noon to 3:00 pm. In lieu of flowers, please make a donation to The Bill Wishard Memorial Fund - United Way of Charlotte County, 17831 Murdock Circle, Port Charlotte, Florida 33948.
Obituary adapted from U. S. Naval Academy Alumni Association and Foundation by Col. Mike Kalashian, USMC (Ret.).
From a column in the Sarasota Herald-Tribune on February 5, 2009 comes this tribute:
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| Speakers representing various phases of Bill's life spoke openly, honestly and humorously about the man they knew and, generally, loved. Two tables of memorabilia were on display for the people to look at. Half of the table next to the flag had memorabilia from Bill's days in the Marine Corps including his platoon book and The Cruise. | Some of the hundreds who crammed the Harbor Community Center in Port Charlotte, FL on Sunday, February 8, 2009 for Bill's life celebration. Among the speakers were Mike Kalashian and Fred Morgan. Ron Mendeleski, Ken Blobb and Glenn Knight were on hand to provide moral support. The Marines gathered after the celebration for dinner at Ken's. |
In difficult times, devoted servant leaders come through
It is indeed encouraging to read that the Season of Sharing campaign sponsored by this newspaper and the Community Foundation of Sarasota blew away its previous contribution record. The total count for the 2008-09 campaign now stands at $569,104, a whopping 65 percent increase over the previous year.
Certainly, the demand for these funds -- which are earmarked to meet emergency needs to keep a family in their home, help a breadwinner with transportation to get to work or pay a delinquent utility bill -- has never been greater.
So how is it that when the economic picture seems darkest, people manage to find the money to give to those who have even less? It's one of the good things that come from adversity. People realize how lucky they really are even if their own financial position has taken a hit.
The reality is that most of us, thankfully, are doing OK. Most of us are still able to pay the bills, even if it requires a bit more belt-tightening. And most of us can dedicate at least a part of our resources to those who have far less. Even if economic challenges have made giving at usual levels difficult, it is truly amazing to see how generous people can be when they know the need is there.
Maybe that's why some fund drives like Season of Sharing are prospering despite the economic climate. Steve Brett with the United Way in South Sarasota County said he remains optimistic that fund-raising goals will be met. He explained that in many cases businesses have stepped up with increased contributions and employee campaigns are doing well. That has offset to some degree the retirees who are forced to withhold charitable contributions until market conditions improve.
It's a similar story at the United Way of Charlotte County. Though it is good news that the campaign is slightly ahead of this time last year, executive director Cecy Glenn says the most heartwarming part is that workers are digging deeper than ever to help friends and former co-workers who are facing tough times.
Some people have decided that this is the time to give more of themselves to charitable causes. Even those who are not in a position to make monetary contributions are committing to volunteer work that in many cases can be as beneficial as donations. And the more people who get involved in helping meet the needs of those less fortunate, the greater understanding there is of a community's human service requirements.
One thing is for sure. There will never be enough money to meet all the needs. Yet volunteers with their time and their money can have a more positive effect on the lives of people in their communities than they could have ever imagined.
Just last week, Charlotte County lost a dedicated servant leader. Bill Wishard, who died at 64 from complications following heart surgery, spent a good deal of his time involved in volunteer work. A former Marine who attended the U.S. Naval Academy, Wishard worked for Florida Power and Light and the city of Punta Gorda before joining his wife at Gateway Management. He was a leader in business circles, including the Charlotte County and Punta Gorda chambers of commerce.
Recently, he and his wife Kris were nominated for the Florida Blue Chip Community Business Award, given to successful businesses that have overcome adversity. Hurricane Charley was no match for this resourceful couple who did not let a destroyed office stop them. They operated out of their home, streamlined their business and tripled the number of properties they manage since 2004.
Bill devoted the same level of dedication to his nonprofit work, which included the United Way of Charlotte County, the Charlotte County Family YMCA and the Good Samaritans. Not only did he serve in leadership positions with all these organizations, he was intimately familiar with the services they performed. And it was just like him to help on an individual level when he saw the need. In difficult times, Bill will be missed more than ever.
Yet it is the example set by Bill and others like him that will soften the blow for those in need today and in the future. As long as there are people willing to help, there will be no lost causes.
Kathy Silverberg is former publisher of the Herald-Tribune's southern editions.