William ‘Bill’ Francis Soper

Bill was born on February 12, 1946 in Escanaba, son of Michael Joseph and Vera Mary (Gauthier) Soper. He was raised in Flat Rock and graduated from Gladstone High School.

He was drafted into the U.S. Army in October of 1964 where he served in Vietnam for two years. There he earned the Expert Marksman M-14 Rifle Medal, National Defense Service Medal, Republic of Vietnam Campaign Medal and the Vietnam Service Medal all while achieving the rank of Specialist 5 Technician. He was honorably discharged in October of 1970.

After the army, Bill worked for Harnischfeger until its closure and began his career with Escanaba & Lake Superior Railroad. For 25 years, he worked as a mechanic and ran the railroad yard in Crivitz, Wis. He then became a millwright and worked all over the Midwest until his retirement in 2007.

Bill will be remembered as a hard-working man who loved hunting, gardening, fixing things (especially his bulldozer) and working in the woods. He was a man of routines, driving to town daily to get his McDonald’s coffee, getting his Keno tickets at the gas station then stopping at the White Birch and Rusty Rail to visit with friends. He loved his grandchildren more than anything, always saying they were his #1!

He is survived by his daughter, Cheryl (Scott) Quirk of Cornell; grandchildren, William Louis Soper of Marquette and Samantha Ann Soper of Cornell; siblings, Rosemary Berglund of Escanaba, Donna (John) Lehouillier of Gladstone, Donald (Candy) Soper of Cornell, Thomas (Donna) Soper of Escanaba, Richard Soper of Gladstone, Debra (Bob) Donaghe of Escanaba; and sister-in-law, Mary Soper.

Along with his parents, Bill is preceded in death by his son, William Louis Soper; sister, Carol (Tom) Danser; brothers, Robert “Bob”, Steve, John, Michael Jr., and Timothy Soper; brother-in-law, Jack Berglund; and sisters-in-law, Susan Soper and Pat Soper.

Following Bill’s wishes, no services will be held. A message of condolence can be directed toward the family at www.crawfordfuneralhomes.net. The Crawford Funeral Homes are assisting the Soper family.