William George Evatz was born in Grosse Pointe, Michigan at Bon Secour Hospital on February 21, 1966.  His father, Edward (Ed), was the owner of John R Fuel & Supply in Sterling Heights, Michigan.  His mother, Mary Lou, was a dedicated mother and homemaker.  Upon Bill’s birth, it was discovered that he had a congenital heart defect, and within his first year of life, he had open heart surgery.  At that time, 1 out of 10 babies survived this operation and Bill was one - a miracle baby. He was discharged on Valentine’s Day, with a brand new heart. The dear baby, son and brother, defeated the odds. He was strong, a fighter and God gave him his restored heart to the family. This is a day we all celebrate, as a day of love, symbolic of a heart….A sign from above that he would prevail.  Bill’s life was not extinguished, but alive, well and his little body was filled with a spirit that shone brightly for 50 more years until his passing, when he passed peacefully in his sleep.

Bill grew up in Grosse Pointe Shores with six siblings, Edward (Skip), Gregory, Claudia, Jeffery, Susan and Matthew.  All the children were raised by busy and loving parents.  Their mom had her hands full maintaining a home and raising 7 children.  No matter how hectic life was, the family ate dinner together almost every night.  Their home was filled with equal parts laughter and bickering. Their family was very close and loving.

When Ed wasn’t working, he enjoyed boating. Bill also shared that passion at a very young age and father and son would spend many hours together. As the youngest, Bill enjoyed many nice dinners at the better restaurants… perhaps explaining why he enjoyed gourmet cooking so much.

Relatives, neighbors and family friends all loved Bill from early on. Although Bill’s heart condition kept him off the Little League field, he knew the stats for all the players.  He had many friends. His earliest childhood friends were Dave Stalker and Brian Urbancic. 

Bill attended Chippewa Valley High School and graduated in 1984.  He then continued his education at Walsh College where he studied finance.  After college, Bill worked as a concrete salesman and eventually, for Van Horn Concrete

Bill met Wendy at Papa Joe’s Produce.  The two began dating and were eventually married on December 28, 1990.  The spent their honeymoon in Cancun, Mexico.  When they returned to Michigan, they settled into their first home, an apartment in Clinton Township, MI. 

Bill and Wendy had two daughters, Carly and Mallory.  Bill absolutely adored his girls and was an amazing father. They were his world and Bill cared for them deeply. He took over the cooking, which the girls loved, and was very active in their sports and activities.  He was a scorekeeper for softball, helped out in basketball, swimming and tae-kwon-do.  He often assisted with their homework, helped them studied for tests and quizzed them in spelling, math and geography during long car rides. He challenged them to think. He was a great role model and taught them to be determined and to play the hand you were dealt.

Bill made sure to take the time to enjoy life in many ways….boating, fishing, golfing. He traveled and always found his way to the water.   He spent time with his family in Grand Haven, visited the ocean while in Maryland, vacationed in Niagara Falls, Florida and Washington DC.  Just a year ago, despite being sick, on oxygen, and unable to walk very much, he took the girls to Florida, visiting Disney World and the beaches.

Bill enjoyed cooking and feeding his family. He also liked to follow politics. He enjoyed playing outside with his girls, teaching them how to play poker and taking them to the driving range.

Bill’s greatest joys in life were his daughters.  He doted on them with the same care that his older siblings showed to him.  He was patriotic and loved his country. Carly and Mallory will remember that Bill ended all his text messages with a thumbs up, a smiley face and an American flag emojis.

He fought hard to keep his physical light of life alive so he could share in the love of family and friends.  He was an amazing man who fought through a heart condition and was a cancer survivor. He will be remembered for his strong will, his optimism and perseverance in life.

Bill Evatz passed away on November 28, 2016 at age 50.  He was the beloved father of Carly and Mallory. He was the dear brother of the late Edward (Skip), the late Gregory, Claudia (James) Ventimiglia, Jeffrey, Susan (Dan) Ender and Matthew. He was the loving son of Mary Lou and the late Edward Evatz. He is loved and missed by many nieces and nephews.

Visitation will take place on Friday, December 2, 2016 from 2 pm to 8 pm with sharing at 7 pm at McCabe Funeral Home, 31950 W. 12 Mile Road in Farmington Hills. Bill’s life will be celebrated on December 3, 2016 at St. Fabian Catholic Church, 32200 W. 12 Mile Road in Farmington Hills. He will lie in state at 11:30 am followed by the Funeral Mass at 12 noon. Memorial contributions may be made to Bill's family at his Go Fund Me Memorial Page.