William "Bill" W. Hollingshead
(1926 - 2008)

WEST UNITY,OHIO - William "Bill" W. Hollingshead, 81, of West Unity, died Wednesday, Feb. 27, 2008, at the Community Hospitals and Wellness Centers-Bryan.
Born June 25, 1926, in the family home in Napoleon to Alta (Durham) and E.P. "Pat" Hollingshead, he married Mary E. Stauffer on July 1, 1951, and she survives.
He resided in Archbold beginning as a four-year-old and until his graduation from high school in 1944.
During high school, he lettered in basketball, baseball and track, breaking Fulton County records in the 220-yard dash, the discus, and the shot put. He enrolled at Ohio State University to become a coach, his athletic talents were noticed and he became a member of the OSU track squad and was the anchor man in the mile relay team.
His college education was interrupted and he was drafted into the U.S. Army Air Corps during World War II. In 1947, he returned to OSU and graduated. In 1948, he graduated from the Cleveland College of Mortuary Science.
In 1950, he began working for the family business, the Hollingshead Funeral Home, and by 1966, he became the sole proprietor, retiring in 2001. He was also a substitute postal employee for Route 2, West Unity.
He was a member of the West Unity United Methodist Church, along with being a choir member and past Sunday school superintendent; past president of the B.I.C. Corporation of West Unity; past board member of the Montpelier Hospital, and later, one of the founding members of the board for the Community Hospitals and Wellness Centers since 1986.
Mr. Hollingshead also was a member of the West Unity Lions Club; the Superior Lodge No. 179 F & AM of West Unity, Grand Chapter of Royal Arch Masons of Ohio, Zenobia Shrine Temple Shrine of Toledo, and the Northwest Shriners Club and St. George Commandrey 76 Knight Templar; the West Unity Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors; West Unity Village Council member from 1952-1957; the Millcreek-West Unity Area Foundation.
From 1964-1967 he served on the Millcreek-West Unity Local Board of Education. He also was a member of the Hilltop High School Athletic Boosters; the Farmers & Merchants State Bank advisory board from 1981-1998; past Boy Scout Master; coached little league and pony league; and helped install the lights at the Memorial Park in West Unity.
He also was a member of the Ohio State University Varsity "O" Association and the Alpha Sigma Phi Fraternity; Ohio and National Funeral Directors Association; The American Legion Post No. 669 of West Unity; Community Reinvestment Area Council; chairman of the West Unity Egg-N-Fest parade; one of the founders of the West Unity Minute Men; author of his autobiography, "Lucky Bill", published in 2005; and the first member inducted into the Archbold High School Athletics Hall of Fame in the inaugural class of 2004.
Mr. Hollingshead was named West UnityÕs Citizen of the Year in 1998.
Surviving, in addition to his wife, are a son, Wynn (and wife, Judy) Hollingshead of Dublin; a daughter, Laura Kutzli of Wauseon; a grandson, Joshua Hinkle of Toledo; two brothers, Pat Hollingshead Jr. of Urbanna and Ralph Hollingshead of West Unity; a sister, Bette Manner of Tequesta, Fla.; and many nieces and nephews.
He was preceded in death by his parents; a brother, Donald Hollingshead; and three sisters, Geraldine Funkhouser, Marion Spiess and Bernadine Weber. Visitation will be Saturday from 6-8 p.m. and Sunday from 2-8 p.m., with Masonic services to be conducted Sunday at 7 p.m. by the Superior Lodge No. 179 F&AM of West Unity, in the Hollingshead-Beck Funeral Home, West Unity.
Funeral services will be Monday at 1:30 p.m. in the West Unity United Methodist Church with an hour of visitation prior to the services. The Rev. Ruth Ann Scoby is to officiate. Burial will be in the Floral Grove Cemetery, West Unity.
Memorials may be made to the Millcreek-West Unity High School scholarship fund in his name.