In Remembrance

Check your settings when you are happy with your print preview press the print icon below.

Show Obituaries Show Guestbook Show Photos QR Code Print

Willard Silver

June 13, 1942 - March 18, 2017

U.S. Veteran

Private Memorial will be held.

Obituary Viewed 3224 times

Willard “Bill” Silver, 74, of Duluth, passed away peacefully at home Saturday, March 18, 2017 with his loving wife and daughter by his side after a long battle with blood cancer.

Bill was born June 13, 1942 in Chicago, Illinois to Willard and Edna Silver. Bill moved to Duluth as a young boy where he later played hockey for and  graduated from Central High School. Bill enlisted in the US Marines, serving three years,  one of them in Okinawa. After the service he attended UMD for a couple years, met and married the love of his life Barbara Randall.  Bill and Barb celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary January 13th. Bill lovingly called Barbara “his bride” for all 50 years. He worked in the elevator industry doing repairs and service for different companies until his retirement.

Bill was a lifelong Park Point resident and loved his walks on the beach every morning. He was a man of integrity and is loved and respected by his many friends and family members; family came first to Bill and his devotion to his family always came first. He was a devoted family man and friend.  One of his many pleasures was watching the sunrise and sunset with his wife and daughter. While watching them Bill would say, “isn’t that just beautiful!” He had a positive outlook on life and great sense of humor. Bill was a wise man of few words and shared his wisdom with the young and old all the same.  Bill was well known for his dahlia gardens, volunteering at the end of Park Point and wearing his famous felt hat that his beloved niece (Jorli) had given to him. Some of his hobbies included hiking, fishing upland bird hunting and working with his dogs. He loved to host and cook traditional holiday dinners where he was a gourmet chef (most of the time).

Bill and  his daughter,Lisa Marie, had a very special and close relationship. He also deeply loved and adored his two grandchildren; Tierney and Brett. Tierney inherited her interest in dogs and learned some of her dog training skills from Bill. Brett learned Bill’s morals, value’s and work ethics in life and continues to make his grandpa proud. In fact he is very proud of both of them.

Bill was preceded in death by; his parents, Willard and Edna Silver, sisters-in-law Mary Hyvonen  and Susan Randall-Slabodnik and niece Jorli McLain.

He is survived by; wife, Barbara; daughter Lisa Marie; two grandchildren, Tierney Lynne Silver-Goeden, Brett Goeden; sister Carmeen Hoover of Anchorage, AK; special friend and brother-in-law, Archie Lee Randall III, sister-in-law Alice Pavelich, nephew George Goddard and family; many beloved nieces and nephews as well as great nephews and nieces.  Bill remained close to his family in spite of the many miles between them.

The family would like to extend their gratitude to St. Luke’s Hospital and Oncology department staff members , Dr. Perlov and Dr. Knuths for their exceptional care and to Alice Pavelich for her extended help and care.

A Private Memorial will be held. Services by Affordable Cremation & Burial