William Elton Titgemeyer
March 23, 1937 – June 27, 2021
It is with sadness that the family of William (Bill) E. Titgemeyer (84) of Oakville, ON announces his passing on July 27, 2021, following complications from Lewy Body Dementia.
He was born on March 23, 1937 in Cleveland, OH to Elton and Alice (nee Brook) Titgemeyer. In 1964, he met the love of his life Patricia (nee Kelly) at a ski-club party. Believing there was no higher prize left to acquire from skiing, they married and happily never skied again. They were together for the next 56 years.
His youth was spent in Willoughby and Shaker Heights, Ohio and Savannah, GA.
Bill overcame polio as a child well enough to play football for Savannah High School in the final game of the Georgia State Championship. He was also voted Most Handsome in his high school class of 1955- a title his wife feels he never relinquished.
Although he entered Cornell University on a full engineering scholarship, he ultimately majored in economics. While in University, he was a member of Psi Upsilon fraternity where he learned to play bridge, a game he played for the rest of his life. He also served in the ROTC and eventually became a Captain in the United States Army 2nd Armored Cavalry (Hell on Wheels) at Fort Hood and in the Ohio National Guard.
Bill became a Certified Public Accountant. In his work life, he had stints at Ernst & Ernst in Cleveland, OH; Studebaker Worthington, American Invesco, and Fuller Commercial Brokerage in Chicago, Il; and Royal LePage Commercial Real Estate, in Toronto, ON. None of which did his family find the least bit interesting, except for the frequent flier points that derived from constant business trips.
But, in fairness, work also provided the opportunity to live in Shaker Heights, OH; Barrington, IL (where he served on the vestry and taught Sunday school at St. Mark’s Episcopal Church of Barrington Hills); and Oakville, ON where he made so many friends with whom he created many happy memories.
In his retirement, he volunteered as a driver with WellSpring for many years, and he enjoyed the comradery of new friends from Probus Club of Old Oakville. In Probus he organized an investment group and a dining group.
An avid golfer and member of both the Oakville Masters and Olde Phartz golf groups, the pinnacle of Bill’s golf career came in 1991, when he and some colleagues entered a charity golf tournament, and won. As a prize they received a trip to Bermuda to compete in another tournament, where he made his first hole-in-one, by which he won a trip for himself and his wife around the world. A few years later, he made his second hole-in-one with the Oakville Masters golf group.
Bill and Patty enjoyed travelling together and with their children throughout North America, Europe, Asia and New Zealand. He was a consummate planner, ensuring there were wonderful dinners to anticipate after some arduous drives, and fairy-tale accommodations to relieve tired tourist heads and feet.
Bill also enjoyed planning parties and big events. Those that participated will remember the spectacle of costumes at the Fox Point “Olympics” Party. There were also the American Women’s Club Car Rally, and the famous Titgemeyer 4th of July party (in which no trees were truly injured).
Bill had an accountant’s general sobriety of disposition, but not of appetite. He enjoyed crossword puzzles and read primarily history books and the business section. However anyone that endured his retelling of a joke found 95% of the humour in trying to decipher his words through his tears of laughter. He loved the visual beauty of “The Umbrellas of Cherbourg”, but never tired of “Die Hard”.
Loving husband and proud father, Bill leaves behind his wife Patty of 56 years, sons John (wife Bonni) Titgemeyer and David Titgemeyer, in-laws Peggie Kelly Gould and Dr. Bob Gould, nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by his parents and in-laws (Ruth and Jack Kelly), and his brother James (Jim) Titgemeyer.
There will be a family service when Bill is buried in the family plot at Lake View Cemetery in Cleveland, OH at a later date. Donations in his memory to The Alzheimer’s Society of Canada via alzheimer.ca/en or The Lewy Body Dementia Association via www.lbda.org/donate/ in the USA would be appreciated.
Our most sincere sympathies to the family and friends of William Elton Titgemeyer March 23 1937 June 27 2021..
Kopriva Taylor Community Funeral Home
Death notice for the town of: Oakville, Province: Ontario