William John Stelzer, Sr

William “Bill” John Stelzer, Sr. of Crawford, TX passed away Tuesday, December 24, 2019. The son of Magda and Robert Stelzer, he was born December 23, 1936, in Toledo, OH.

Bill was a graduate of St. James Grade School and Central Catholic High School, class of 1955. In 1955, he joined the US Navy and reported to Great Lakes, IL. Over the next 20 years, he served on the USS John Paul Jones, USS Radford, USS Orion, USS Wainwright, and USS Mt. Baker and was stationed in Philadelphia, PA; Newport, RI; Oahu, HI; San Diego, CA; Charleston, SC; Norfolk, VA and more. He was deployed to such locations as the North Pole, South Pole, New Zealand, Italy, France, Greece and other Mediterranean bases. Bill moved his family to Holly Hill, SC in 1978. He retired from the Navy in 1985. In 2009, Bill and his wife moved to Crawford, TX to be close to their oldest daughter and grandchildren.

Bill will be deeply missed by his wife Shirley Stelzer of Crawford, TX; his brother, James "Jim" of Toledo, OH; and his children Jeff Guyton, Teresa Dixon, Magda Rice, Janette Gaines and William J. Stelzer, Jr. Bill also leaves a legacy of 13 grandchildren, 3.5 great grandchildren and many nieces, nephews, their spouses and children. Bill was preceded in death by his parents, his brother, Rupert "Bob" Stelzer and his twin sister, Kathleen “Sue” Stelzer.

The family will receive visitors at Grace Gardens Funeral Home, 8220 Woodway Drive, Woodway, TX, on Thursday, January 2, 2020, from 4:00 to 6:00 p.m. The family will hold a private burial at Calvary Cemetery, Toledo, OH on February 15, 2020.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the Navy-Marine Corps Relief Society at https://action.nmcrs.org/page/contribute/donate2015.