On Thursday, March 30, 2023, William (Bill) George Schipper Jr., loving husband, father, grandfather and great grandfather passed away at the age of 89.  Bill was born the youngest of 10 children to William and Laura Schipper on May 18, 1933 in Dayton Ohio.

At the age of 17, Bill enlisted into the United States Navy where he served at the Naval Air Facility in China Lake California as a Aerographer (Weather Expert) from August 15, 1950 until he was Honorably Discharged on May 17, 1954.  

While serving in the Navy, Bill met and befriended Ray Tweedy from Omaha Nebraska who was very interested in introducing Bill to his sister Betty back in Omaha.  Ray would often show a photo of Betty to the guys on base and Bill would also often joke that he was going to marry her.  Bill and Ray left California on a 48-hour leave, driving to Omaha to bring Betty to California to help with Ray's wife who was pregnant with twins.  Bill and Betty soon started dating, going to the movies and the Enlisted Men's Club on base.  Bill and Betty were married on March 7, 1953, at the Justice of the Peace County Court in Las Vegas.  Upon Bills discharge from the Navy, they made their home in Phoenix Arizona where he worked in construction, became a contractor and owned his own business Schipper Construction.

Together Bill and Betty raised 4 children: Debbie, Norman, Adrean and Dahl.  They have 9 grandchildren: Billy, Misty, Bernadette, Byron, Jessie, Kimberly, Ernie, BettiJo and Joe along with 16 Great grandchildren:  Ryne, Grace, Jordan, Kohen, Mackenzie, Navi, Emmelin, Nathan, Mclane, Jaxson, Will, Everli, Easton, Ruby, Rylan and Sawyer.

On March 7, 2023, Bill and Betty celebrated their 70th Wedding Anniversary.  Bill will always be remembered for his amazing and one-of-a-kind sense of humor and the deep and unwavering love that he has always had for his family.  

Bill was preceded in death by his father William, mother Laura, siblings: Herman, Jessie, Earl, William, Robert, Catherine, Laura, Frank, Alma and his son Norman.

A Private Ceremony will be held on Thursday, May 18, 2023 at the National Memorial Cemetery of Arizona.  A Celebration of Bill's Life will be held on Saturday, May 20, 2023 at the home of Debbie and Bill McGonigle from 4 to 7pm.

Instead of flowers, Bill and his family would like to suggest making a donation to your local Animal Rescue Shelter.

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