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Obituary for William Leo Reardon
William (Bill) Leo Reardon, a resident of Howell, died peacefully surrounded by his family on May 8, 2019 at the age of 87.
Bill was born in Detroit on October 12, 1931, the son of William Leo Reardon and Ellen Fitzgibbon Reardon, and grew up in Detroit. He enlisted with the U.S. Marines to serve his country during the Korean War. When he returned from Service, he spent time managing a grocery store and later began his work as a machinist.
He met Dianne Ruehlmann on a blind date, and it was love at first sight. After a brief courtship, Bill and Dianne married on July 9, 1955, and raised their family together in Livonia. They lived their lives together in work and play, and enjoyed sixty-three beautiful years together.
In 1976, Bill and Dianne started their own business, Wate-Man Fitness Equipment. Throughout this endeavor, Bill designed and manufactured fitness and weight lifting equipment. He was a great designer of fitness equipment, including custom equipment for professional athletes. Bill loved working with his hands and building things. Together, along with their children, they successfully operated the family business for over thirty-five years.
Outside of work, Bill became a certified scuba diver and obtained his private pilot’s license. He loved trips to northern Michigan, enjoyed boating and scuba diving on Pontiac Lake and took many flights in his Grumman Tiger airplane.
He relished dancing with his wife, something he couldn’t resist at the sound of Sinatra’s New York, New York, or Bobby Darin’s Mack the Knife. He will always be remembered for his easy going, happy demeanor and his way of alwaysseeing the positive side of everything. He lovingly reminded his family that he “got everything he ever wanted in life.”
Bill was preceded in death by his wife Dianne in August of 2018.
He is survived by his sons, William (Diane) Reardon Jr., Ronald (Cheryl) Reardon; his daughters, Marilyn Reardon, Karen (John) Wing; grandchildren, Jaclyn (Michael) Bussert, Jeffrey Reardon, Kristin (Matthew) Browning, Rachel Reardon (fiance Brian Henk), Katie and Emily Wing; great-grandchildren, Liam and Claire Bussert; sisters, Marlene (Ray) Chiavazza and Eilene (the late Ken) Parpart. He was preceded in death by a sister, Rose (Ed) Starch, and brothers, Jim Reardon and John (survived by Eileen) Reardon. Bill also leaves behind many brothers and sisters in law, nieces, nephews, extended family and friends.
