William "Bill" John Sawyer

MIDDLETON-William John "Bill" Sawyer, age 93, passed away on Saturday, Dec. 26, 2015 at Brookdale-Stonefield Memory Center in Middleton.  Bill was born on October 13, 1922, in Madison, the only child of John W. and Antoinette (Lyons) Sawyer.  He was a 1940 graduate of Edgewood High School.  Bill then attended Marquette University in Milwaukee and then went on to graduate from the University of Wisconsin Law School in 1949.  Bill enlisted in the Army Air Corps in World War II and was a pilot.  He was discharged in Dec. 1945 as a 2nd Lieutenant.  He received the World War II Victory Medal.  He was sent to Tuskeegee Institute in Tuskegee, AL to be a check pilot trained to work with African-American's to be pilots in 1944.  Bill practiced law for several years in Madison and was a member of the Brandt-Sawyer Law Firm.  He then began his career with Sentry Insurance in 1959 when he was employed by the firm's Dairyland Insurance Division in Madison.  Bill retired after 20 years with the Dairyland Insurance and Sentry Insurance Company where he held positions as Director of Claims and Director of Field Administration.  He was then transferred to Scottsdale, Ariz. with Sentry Insurance.  Bill was an avid golfer.  His favorite course was Lake Arrowhead in Nekoosa, Wisc.  He played bridge, loved sports, especially his many years of playing softball and coaching his sons in sports.  Bill loved the Packers, music, singing, dancing, playing the harmonica and traveling.  He was the first Municipal Judge in the City of Middleton, served on the Middleton School Board, was an Alderman and was Past Grand Knight of KC Msgr Lederer Council in Middleton.  Bill enjoyed decades of good times spent at his home on Lake Camelot in Nekoosa with family and friends.  Bill is survived by his wife, Marjorie Adler Sawyer; son, William S. (Ann) Sawyer of Peoria, Illinois; daughters, Kathy (Larry) VanEpps of Waunakee, Linda (Joe) Kessenich of Middleton and Susan (Tim) Statz of Cross Plains; daughter-in-law, Joan Sawyer of Gainesville, Fla.; 15 grandchildren, Jeff, Elizabeth, Brandon, Heather, Alissa, Amber, Allison, Jeremy, Josh, Brian, Brianne, Meagan, Matt, Sarah and Jill; 20 great-grandchildren.  Bill is further survived by Marjorie's children, Mike (Greta) Adler, Denny Adler, Susan Adler, Ken (Dana) Adler, Jean (Greg) Ammirati and Mary Anne Hull.  Bill was preceded in death by his parents; sons, Brian and Rick; his wife and mother of his children, Dorothy (Hilsenhoff) Sawyer.  A Mass of Christian Burial will be held at ST. BERNARD CATHOLIC CHURCH, 7450 University Avenue, Middleton, at 11 a.m. on Saturday, January 2, 2016 with Father Brian Wilk presiding.  Visitation will be held at the church from 9:30 a.m. until the time of service on Saturday. Burial will be at St. Bernard Catholic Cemetery.  A special thank you to the entire staff at Brookdale-Stonefield Memory Center in Middleton for their special care of Bill for the last 13 months.  Memorials may be made to Wounded Warriors Project.  Online condolences may be made at www.gundersonfh.com.