William H.G. Passwater

William H.G. Passwater, Sr., 56, of South Bend passed away on Saturday, June 25, 2005 in Memorial Hospital from complications following a motorcycle accident on June 8th. Bill was born on February 13, 1949 in Lafayette, IN to William F. and Hildegard L. Passwater. Bill graduated from LaSalle High School in 1968 and immediately enlisted in the United States Navy. He served his country proudly during the Vietnam War until 1974 leaving the Navy as a Petty Officer Third Class with an honorable discharge. When Bill returned home, he was introduced to Linda Vargo of South Bend. After that first date, he told his mother that Linda would be his lifelong companion and he proposed 3 months later. He became a journeyman electrician and was currently employed at AM General in Mishawaka. He was a member of the UAW Local 5. He first became a father in 1975 to William H.G., Jr. and three years later to Timothy Francis. He became a member of St. Paul�s Memorial UMC where he was committed to God through prayer, study and service to others including participation in their Food Bank program. He loved his Harley, which he was riding the day of the accident and would visit Harley shops wherever he traveled. Bill was also an avid fisherman and hunter spending long days with family and friends. He believed strongly that the forest was God�s cathedral. As an extension of that philosophy he became a member of the Izaak Walton League. Through his dedication to the Lord he became involved with the Christian Motorcycle Assn. (Rhema Riders). He organized the Blessing of the Bikes on the 17th of May this year at St. Paul�s. Bill will be greatly missed by his wife, Linda and their two sons, Bill Jr., his fianc�e, Heather Stangland and Tim; his brothers Stephan and wife Kathy; Michael and wife Deborah; Randall; his sisters, Vickie Perkins and Christina Passwater; along with his mother, Hilda. Bill�s father, William F. passed 3 years earlier. Visitation will be on Tuesday, June 28th from 2:00PM to 8:00PM at Kaniewski Funeral Home 3545 N. Bendix Drive, South Bend, Indiana, where a Rosary will be held at 3:30 PM. The funeral service will be on Wednesday, June 29th at 1:00PM at St. Paul�s Memorial UMC, 1001 West Colfax Avenue, South Bend, IN 46616. The family has asked in lieu of flowers that contributions be made to St. Paul�s or the South Bend Blood Bank in Bill�s name.

God looked around His garden, and found an empty place.
He then looked down upon the earth, and saw your tired face.
He put His arms around you, and lifted you to rest;
God�s garden must be beautiful, He always takes the best.
He knew that you were suffering, He knew you were in pain.
He knew that you would never get well on earth again,
He saw the road was getting rough, and the hills were hard to climb.
So He closed your weary eyelids, and whispered, �peace be thine.�
It broke our hearts to lose you, but you didn�t go alone;
for part of us went with you, the day God called you home.