William J. “Bill” Feller

William J. “Bill” Feller, 74, of Dover, went to a well-deserved rest after a lengthy illness on Thursday evening, March 21, 2019.

Born May 12, 1944 in Massillon, Bill was the son of the late William M. and Shirley (Wernke) Feller.

Bill was a 1962 graduate of Strasburg High School, and at the early age of 19, went into business with Patrick Fearon. Together, they established Fearon & Feller Drilling, Inc, which continued for nearly 50 years until his retirement.

On October 23, 1967, Bill married his wife of 54 years, the former Patti Fischbach. Together, they enjoyed a life of adventure, love, and laughter. They were blessed with the birth of two children, Zack and Bronwyn. He will fondly be remembered as a loving and very-present dad who made sure that his children had every opportunity to learn, grow, and enjoy life.

As a child, he learned to play the accordion and also the organ. Not only did he learn to play the instruments at The Pietro Music Studio, but he taught lessons as well. For many years, he enjoyed playing on his Hammond organ in addition to providing entertainment at area functions. Bill and Patti enjoyed many concerts, including several at Blossom Music Center. Bill and Patti spent many years sharing a love for the arts.

Bill, Zack and Bronwyn participated in the YMCA Indian Princesses and Indian Guides, where he was affectionately known as “Winter Hawk.” Zack and Bill spent many Saturday mornings fishing, cleaning their day’s catch. When Zack caught his first fish which was a few inches long, he felt his son’s excitement and made sure the fish was included in the family dinner that evening.

Although he didn’t like to plan the vacations, once in route, he enjoyed every minute. He showed hesitation to traveling overseas but after returning home, he marveled in the memories of the trip to Moscow, London, and Paris, having a wonderful time with his family. He and Patti also enjoyed going to Ireland and Wales.

Sunday was understood to be family day. Whether it was a family project, watching football games, or family movie night, he cherished those uninterrupted Sundays.

When in conversation with Bill, it was clear he had a passion for watching and memorizing movies. Many words to films were spoken in every day conversations with Bill. National Lampoon’s Vacation and Christmas Vacation, The Godfather, and 50s science fiction/horror movies, were amongst his favorites. Much like Clark Griswold, Bill loved to load up the family truckster and drive to their vacation destinations, which often included getting lost. However, Bill fondly laughed and said, “You are never lost as long as you have a full tank of gas.” Tangled and Frozen were granddaughter favorites, which in turn, were his as he sang along to the songs endlessly.

Whether it was sitting on a rainy sports field, at a dance performance, or flying across the country to be with his brother days before he passed away to enjoy the Fiesta Bowl, there was no question that his deep love and devotion to his family was first and foremost.

Bill knew no stranger, whether it was befriending a person waiting for a flight in an airport or meeting a new “best friend” at the coffee shop on family holidays, Bill had a gift for nurturing relationships.

Bill and Patti deeply loved their friendship with the “Gourmet Club” including: Ken and Judy Eschbacher, Ron and Debbie Hendershot, and Dick and Lynn Bassetti. Every month, the couples gathered at one of their homes where the hosts prepared a delicious international meal. They also enjoyed “mystery weekends”. Much like the monthly meal, the host couple planned a weekend get-a-way, and the others followed them to the destination. Another fond memory of the club included the yearly progressive dinner at Christmas time. These loving friendships spanned more than 40 years.

He was very proud to be a friend of Bill for more than 15 years. Bill also enjoyed his memberships with the former Dover Elks Lodge, the former Masonic Lodge in Strasburg where he was a 32nd degree mason, and the Tusco Rifle Club. His avid support of The Ohio State Buckeyes, a life-long fan of the Cleveland Browns from the days when they were broadcast on radio only, and the mighty Dover Tornadoes, created many cherished memories for Bill, too.

Bill will be deeply missed by his wife, Patti; his children, Zack (Summer) Feller and Bronwyn (Philip) Soell, both of Dover; his grandchildren, William Wright of Chicago, and Sam, Alyssa, and Emilyn Feller of Dover; his brothers, Tyler (Debbie) Feller and their son, Max of Carrollton, and brother Troy Feller Davie, Fla; his uncle, Eugene (Janice) Feller of Massillon; his dear friends and parents to his daughter-in-law, Bill and Libby Murphy; his Gourmet Club and special friends, Butch and Rita West; his cat, Luna; and numerous extended family in Strasburg.

In addition to his parents, Bill was preceded in passing by his brother, Todd Feller.

Visitation will be held Sunday, March 24, 2019 from 1 to 4 p.m. in the Geib Funeral Center, 5600 N. Wooster Avenue, Dover. Pastor Brian Flood will officiate a service Monday, March 25, at 11 a.m. in the funeral home. A meal will follow the service in Geib’s hospitality center in the funeral home.

Memorial contributions in Bill’s memory may be directed to Community Hospice, 716 Commercial Avenue, New Philadelphia, Ohio 44663 or to the Tuscarawas County Humane Society, 1432 Tall Timber Road NE, New Philadelphia, Ohio 44663 in honor of Bill’s love for animals.