William "Bill" Falter

William "Bill" Alan Falter was born on October 2, 1941 to Lillian and John Leon Falter of Elmhurst, Illinois. Bill grew up in Elmhurst (a suburb just east of Chicago) and was a graduate of York High School where he excelled in academics and played Varsity Basketball and ran Cross Country. He became an avid Cubs fan in the early 1950s and remained stalwart thereafter despite decades of frustration before watching them finally win the World Series in 2016 (he found being a Bulls fan to be a much less painful experience; especially during the Jordan years). After graduating high school, Bill attended Lawrence College (now Lawrence University) in Appleton, Wisconsin where he studied Political Science and was a member of the Sigma Epsilon fraternity; both of which he reminisced fondly about in his later years. Having graduated with a Bachelor of Arts and as a member of Phi Beta Kappa, Bill then went on to pursue graduate degrees in Political Science at both the University of Michigan and the University of Chicago.

Not content with pursuing the life of a detached academic, in 1968 Bill decided to enlist in the Army believing that all men his age had a responsibility to serve their country; not just those lacking the option to defer. Following Advanced Infantry Training at Fort Ord in Monterrey, California, Bill attended Officer Candidate School (OCS) at Fort Belvoir in Virginia where he graduated as a Second Lieutenant before ultimately serving in the Transportation Corps at Fort Meade, Maryland. In 1968, Bill met Elizabeth "Betty" Jean Corso at his "turning white" party during his OCS training and became instantly attached, immediately shutting down any other would-be suitors. In November of 1969, Bill married the woman whom he would later refer to as "the light of my life" at a modest wedding at the Walter Reed Army Medical Center Chapel. When it quickly became clear that Betty was pregnant with their first child, Bill decided that the regular Army was no place to raise a family. Instead he decided to cast his fortunes elsewhere, moving to Staten Island in New York City to begin training for a career in commercial banking. This allowed Bill to raise his three children - Mike, Jim and Carol - in the quiet, hilly village of Croton-on-Hudson, New York. As a father, Bill always supported his children's interests being ever careful to encourage their curiosity rather than focus on their performance. As a staunch individualist himself, Bill believed that his children should learn to find their own way - even if it meant venturing out into far-flung places and occasionally falling on their faces. In 2001, with their children reasonably settled, Bill and Betty decided to move to Tucson, Arizona to spend the remainder of their days together. They were even fortunate enough to reach their 50th wedding anniversary in 2019 before Bill's body decided that it could no longer keep up with his highly refined brain (much like the rest of us).

Bill spent his final days sharing his love for his family with his family. He is survived by his sister Shirley, wife Betty, sons Mike & Jim and four grandchildren - Shawn, Leila, Alex and Rayah. Bill is pre-deceased by his daughter Carol and brother Jack. Bill was a devoted husband, father, brother, uncle, friend and mentor. His multiple nieces and nephews recall their appreciation for his conversation and wisdom. He was an intellect, a student of history and an athlete. Bill was loved deeply and will be missed dearly by his family and friends.

Post note: Memorial services will be planned in the future when the Pandemic allows. In the interim, for those wishing to make a donation in Bill's name, the family suggests the following: Arizona Public Media at The University of Arizona, Casa de la Luz Tucson, Redemptorist Retreat Center Tucson and Santa Catalina Catholic Parish Tucson.