William P. Steward, 96, of Stevens Point, died peacefully on Saturday, November 22, 2014.

William was born on October 15, 1918, in the Town of Eau Pleine (WI) to the late John and Mabel (Cater) Steward.  He attended St. Stephen’s Elementary School and Emerson High School in Stevens Point.  He later attended Mid-State Technical College.  Bill was an avid baseball player and enjoyed playing many other sports.

From 1937 to 1940, William was a member of the National Guard.

William married the late Bernice E. Krasavage on December 17, 1938, in Stevens Point. From May 1941 to July 1944, William worked as a payroll clerk at Waukesha Motor Co. in Waukesha, WI. William enlisted in the U.S. Navy on July 20, 1944, and was honorably discharged as a Seaman Second Class on October 14, 1945.  William and Bernice, who died in 1956, had three children: William J. “Billy” Steward (Barbara Gorhan), of SC, Patricia S. “Patti” Steward, of Plover, and Marguerite A. “Peggy” Pallen (Harlan), of Farmington, MN.

On May 18, 1957, at St. Mary’s Church in Custer, WI, William married Theresa M. Blaskey.  They have been longtime residents of Stevens Point where they raised 7 children: Karen T. DeWitt (Randall), of Plover, Betty J. Steward-Anderson, of Detroit Lakes, MN, Tammy M. Porter (Thomas), of Stevens Point, David M. Steward (Brendasue), of Elk Mound, WI, Deborah L. Steward (Amy Hoover), of Stanley, NY, Richard J. Steward (Kristin), of Kalamazoo, MI, and Mark W. Steward (Gina Templin), of Baraboo, WI.

Bill worked for the Stevens Point School District as the Bus Operations Manager and a bus driver.  In July of 1980, Bill was hired as the Transit Manager for the City of Stevens Point.  Following his retirement as the Transit Manager, Bill returned to drive school bus for Head Start until 1993. Dedicated to the safety and transportation needs of thousands of children and many area residents, Bill knew every road in Portage County and nearly every family in Stevens Point.

Bill had a great sense of humor, loved to tell stories and offer his opinion on current events.  He enjoyed making his grandchildren laugh and learning about their activities.

A huge sports fan, Bill especially enjoyed baseball, including the Brewers and Cubs. Bill picked up golf late in life and played in the senior men’s league at the Wisconsin River Country Club until he was 94 years old. He loved completing the Stevens Point Journal’s New York Times crossword puzzle (in pen), going to the casino and taking car rides with his wife, Tess.

He was an active and proud member of the American Legion Post 6, 40&8, US Golf Association and the Heron Society.

William is survived by his wife, Theresa; his 10 children; 24 grandchildren; 15 great-grandchildren; his sister, Virginia Foss, of Waukesha, WI; sisters-in-law, Janet Steward, of Las Vegas, NV, Regina Ligman, of Dixon, IL, Helen Blaskey, of Middleton, WI, Beatrice Danielski, of Stevens Point, and Joan (John) Raikowski, of Rudolph; brothers-in-law, Val (Jeanette) Blaskey, of Custer, and Greg (Paulette) Blaskey, of Custer; and other relatives and friends.

He is preceded in death by first wife, Bernice; his parents, John and Mabel Steward; sister, Ellen (John) Bach; brothers, Lewis (Laura) Steward, John “Jack” Steward, Lawrence “Chuck” Steward and Enos Steward; grandchildren: twins Grace and McKenna Steward; son-in-law, Erick J. Anderson; daughter-in-law, Kimberly (Hampton) Steward; as well as brothers-in-law, Ray Blaskey, Peter Ligman, Emil Danielski; and sisters-in-law, Christine (Norman) Zunker, Florence (Adam) Grezinski and Germaine Blaskey.

In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the William P. Steward Scholarship Fund c/o Theresa Steward, American Legion Post 6 (www.americanlegionpost6.com), Evans Scholars Foundation (www.wgaesf.org), The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society (www.LLS.org) or the Heron Society (www.hws.edu/onlinegiving).

The Funeral Mass will be held at 10:00 a.m. Saturday, Nov. 29, 2014, at St. Joseph Catholic Church in Stevens Point with the Rev. Jerzy Rebacz officiating. Full military honors will be performed at church following the Mass. Burial will be in St. Stephen Cemetery.

Visitation will be held from 4 – 8 p.m. Friday at Pisarski/Dzikoski Funeral Home, 703 Second Street, Stevens Point, and again at the church on Saturday from 9:00 a.m. until the time for Mass. American Legion Post 6 will hold a ritual at 6:30 p.m. and the rosary will be prayed at 7:00 p.m. Friday at the funeral home.

For online condolences, please visit www.pisarskifuneralhome.com.