Capt. Willard Siepel

Siepel, Capt. Willard Ernest "Bill", USN Retired, age 80 years, a man of strong faith, family devotion and community service, passed away suddenly on Thursday, November 30, 2017. Bill was born and raised in a log cabin on a farm in Tennessee, Illinois. He attended the University of Illinois, majoring in Agricultural Engineering, where he met his wife Carol. After college he joined the Navy in 1960 and subsequently entered Officer Candidate School. Bill and Carol were married in 1961. Bill's distinguished military career included three consecutive tours to Vietnam, Commanding Officer of the USS Somers, Chief of Staff to the Commander, Naval Surface Group Middle Pacific, as well as being the first Commanding Officer of the AEGIS training center in Dahlgren, VA. Upon retiring from the Navy in 1987 Bill continued to work in Dahlgren, VA and was very involved in the community. In 1999, after the birth of their third grandchild, Bill and Carol moved to Cincinnati, OH, to be close to their two sons and their families. During his time in Cincinnati, when Bill wasn't shuttling around grandchildren, treating them to lunch, attending their activities, or helping them out with their cars or homes, he was volunteering at least weekly at Anderson Hills Methodist Church as part of their ARMM (Always Ready Methodist Men) group or helping out a neighbor. Bill loved playing a game of golf with his group, the Par Hopers, attending sports events with family, and traveling. Every winter Bill and Carol would hook up their Airstream and take the long route to Arizona, visiting family and friends along the way. Although he was a quiet man who never raised his voice or swore, Bill had a sense of humor that revealed itself at a young age when he would scare his sisters with a garter snake he had hidden in his pocket. He loved sharing jokes and funny stories with friends and family. In the recent years he had taken a liking to crazy bright colored socks, which became his trademark. Proceeded in death by his parents, John and Thelma Siepel and brother Donald (Sue) Siepel. Survived by his wife, Carol Wood Siepel, sons, Keith (Gina), Kevin (Sharon), foster son, Luyen Nguyen, grandchildren, Kiersten, Austin, Kyrie, Savannah and Ethan, siblings, Ruthann Danielson, Mary Jane (Gerald) White, Barbara (Frank) Lucie, and Patty (Eddie) Burtness. Visitation on Thursday, Dec. 7 from 4-6:30 PM at T P WHITE & SONS Funeral Home, 2050 Beechmont Ave. Mt. Washington, Funeral Service on Friday, Dec. 8 at 10:30 AM at Anderson Hills United Methodist Church 7515 Forest Rd., Anderson Twp. Burial at Arlington National Cemetery, date to be determined. Bill loved flowers. Memorial donations may be sent to the Navy & Marine Corp Relief Fund, https://donate.nmcrs.org/page/contribute/paid.