News

In 1990, following his marriage to Cheryl Clark, Mr. Ivill joined his wife, chairwoman of the board of directors of the Bower Hill Braillists Foundation, in helping the organization to provide Braille books and material to the sight-impaired.

William J. Ivill III, of Castle Shannon, a practicing attorney, longtime district justice for Mt. Lebanon and Dormont and a former business law instructor at Robert Morris University, died on Friday, June 18, 2004, as the result of an auto accident outside the region. He was 61.

"Bill completely devoted himself to the organization and opted to become our solicitor," Cheryl Ivill added. "We take books and other material and either by hand or by computer we turn them into Braille."

During Operation Desert Shield/Storm, Mr. Ivill, as a legal officer with the rank of colonel in the Army's Judge Advocate General Corps, helped local soldiers prepare wills and powers of attorney prior to leaving for overseas duty.

"He felt pleased that he was able to provide the young men with a certain peace of mind, knowing that if anything happened to them their families would have the proper legal recourses," said his wife.

And as a graduate of the Defense Language Institute in Washington, D.C., Mr. Ivill specialized in the Italian language. "Although Bill never got to use the Italian language professionally, he enjoyed finding someone who could talk Italian and converse with them," said his wife.

Born and raised in Dormont, Mr. Ivill was the only child of William Jr. and Janet McCrea Ivill. His father was an attorney and also a former district justice for Mt. Lebanon and Dormont.

Mr. Ivill served as district justice for the two communities from 1974 until he resigned in 2002.

While attending Dormont High School, Mr. Ivill served as a camp counselor at the Pittsburgh YMCA's Camp Kon-O-Kwee in Fombell, Beaver County. And during his professional career, he served as a member of the Camp Kon-O-Kwee steering committee.

"Bill never forgot the great times he had as a camp counselor and all the friends that he had made through the years," said Cheryl Ivill.

"He loved children and through the years he umpired baseball and softball games and refereed basketball games, and was a member of the senior advisory board of Outreach Teen & Family Services."

In 1960, following graduation from Dormont High School, Mr. Ivill received his undergraduate degree in 1964 from Dickenson College, Carlisle, Cumberland County, and his law degree in 1967 from the University of Pittsburgh Law School.

Cheryl Ivill recalled the time when she was introduced to the man who would become her husband. "I liked him as soon as I met him," she recalled. "Bill was confident, intelligent and talented. He also played the piano. We met in 1988 and were married in 1990.

"And even in our married life, I found Bill to be easygoing and even-tempered and always ready to commit himself to a worthy cause."

Mr. Ivill is survived by his wife, Cheryl Clark Ivill; stepchildren, Scott Clark and his wife, Jennifer, of Denver, Col., and Bonnie Smith and her husband, Daniel, of West Mifflin, and three grandchildren, Nicholas Smith and Owen and Decian Clark.

A memorial service will be held at 11 a.m. Saturday, June 26, 2004, at Mt. Lebanon United Methodist Church, 3319 W. Liberty Ave., Dormont. Arrangements are being made by Laughlin Memorial Chapel Inc., Mt. Lebanon.

• Most Read
• Most E-mailed
• Latest News