
WILLIAM C. KAISER, age 87, of Lombard, died on April 29, 2013 at Good Samaritan Hospital, Downers Grove, Illinois.
We will celebrate his life on Saturday, May 11, 2013 at 1 pm at the First United Methodist Church of Lombard at 155 S. Main Street, Lombard, IL.
Mr. Kaiser is survived by his wife of 64 years, Donna; five children, Mark (Sue) Kaiser, Jacquie (Cara Oosterhouse) Kaiser, Cheryl (Adriaan) Veldhuisen, Jeffry Kaiser, and Vicki Kaiser, PhD; four grandchildren; Eric (Rachel) Kaiser and Devin (Sarah) Kaiser, and Harold and William Veldhuisen; his sister, Glennith King; his nephew, R. Stephen King; and his niece, Roxanne (Bill) Warren.
Bill loved his family, nature, science, farming, Boy Scouts, philanthropy, religion and politics.
He grew up on a farm in Athalia, Ohio and learned about nature, grace and honesty from his father. A Veteran, he served in the U.S. Navy during World War II. After the war, Bill attended and graduated from Antioch College where he met his beloved Donna at their mailboxes. He obtained his Master’s in Physics at the University of Cincinnati. In 1952, Bill took a job with Victoreen in Cleveland and they moved to Maple Heights, Ohio. In 1956, Bill accepted a job at Argonne National Laboratories, so they moved to Lombard. They found a house on a double lot with several fruit trees and room for a large garden so he could grow vegetables like his father on his childhood farm. Among other projects during Bill’s 30-year career at Argonne, he helped design a vacuum electron microscope and worked on the Reagan Star Wars project.
His children’s fondest memories are about eating fresh fruits and vegetables, selling apples and tomatoes door-to-door for Christmas money, and singing along with dad, funny mishaps and enjoyable family time while on their summer camping trips.
After retiring, Bill’s political involvement grew. Fighting an uphill battle in a largely Republican area, he was a rebel in the DuPage community by serving as a Democratic Precinct Committeeman. In 1990, he unsuccessfully ran for an Illinois State Senate seat.
Bill lived his philosophy – though shalt love thy neighbor as thy self – and received numerous philanthropic awards during his life. As a Boy Scout Leader for over 32 years, Bill most enjoyed camping trips, where he led camp songs; introduced scouts to nature and taught them the names for trees, plants, and animals he had learned from his father. He loved scouting.
Perhaps Bill is best known in the community for his volunteer work at the Lombard/Villa Park Food Pantry, which he oversaw for 25 years after retiring from Argonne. Throughout his life, he demonstrated his beliefs in equality, love one another, and do unto others through his actions.
In lieu of flowers, memorials in his memory to the Lombard/Villa Park Food Pantry, 155 South Main Street, Lombard, Illinois 60148 or Antioch College, 1 Morgan Place, Yellow Springs, Ohio 45387 would be appreciated.
Arrangements made by Brust Funeral Home, 135 South Main Street, Lombard. Info 1-888-629-0094