William A. Stanford '65

April 20, 1943 - October 31, 2020

Bill was born in Centralia, Illinois, then moved around the state during childhood due to his father's profession. For college, he chose the University of Illinois at Champaign-Urbana, where he won an R.O.T.C. scholarship that gave him a Navy Commission as well as his Economics degree, with honors, in 1965.

It was at the University of Illinois that Bill met and married Judy.

Their honeymoon took them to Paris. When they returned, Bill went back to the University of Illinois for an M.B.A. He started work for Eli Lilly and Company in 1967 but left to fulfill a four-year Navy R.O.T.C. Commitment serving as supply officer on the U.S.S. Ashland, the first L.S.D. (Landing Ship Dock) built during World War II.

Back at Lilly in 1971, he was sent to Dusseldorf, Germany, as financial manager for Elizabeth Arden. A Lilly subsidiary, and their business travels began: from Dusseldorf to Vienna to Sao Paulo, Brazil, overseeing Elizabeth Arden.

Bill was brought to Lilly headquarters in Indianapolis in 1981. Various rapid promotions led to his appointment as Vice President and Controller. During these years, Bill and Judy Stanford were both involved in civic organizations. They continued this participation after 1996 when Bill retired, and they moved to Sarasota's Bird Key. Bill served as Commodore of the Bird Key Yacht Club, Treasurer of the Van Wezel Foundation Board, and Chairman of the Sarasota Memorial Health Care Foundation Board.

Bill leaves his wife Judy, two sons, William D. and Preston Kyle, three grandchildren, and brother, Tom Stanford. We send our deepest condolences to Mrs. Stanford and great appreciation for Bill's service to the Club over many years.

Published in Herald Tribune from Nov. 16 to Nov. 17, 2020.