- Date Of Birth: September 1, 1942
- Date Of Death: February 3, 2011
- State: Michigan
PAPESH, William E. “Bill” Kalamazoo. Died peacefully at home, February 3, 2011. He was born September 1, 1942 in Joliet, IL son of the late Joseph and Jean Vicich Papesh Vliek. Bill married the former Joyce Onstott on June 17, 1983. Bill moved to Kalamazoo at the age of 13.
He served in the U.S. Air Force during the Vietnam conflict, from March of 1961 until honorably discharged in March of 1965. He retired from the General Motors Kalamazoo Plant after 26 years of employment with them.
Bill is survived by his wife, Joyce; his 2 children, Christopher Papesh and Andrea Papesh; 4 grandchildren, Alan Ormanovich, Samantha Ritsema, Lillian Papesh and Nicholas Papesh; 2 sisters, Violet Soule and Dorothy Williams; a brother, Larry Susan Papesh; step-brother, Robert Norma Vliek; sisters-in-law, Arlyn Papesh, Ann Papesh, Jackie Papesh, Mary Reinbold, Carol Mike Norg and Diane Lynch; brother-in-law, Wayne Kim Onstott; several aunts, an uncle; cousins; and several nieces and nephews.
He was preceded in death by his step-father, William Vliek; brothers, Joseph Papesh, Richard Papesh, Joanne Don Schlee, Ronald Papesh and Thomas Papesh; and nephew, Raymond Papesh.
