William "Bill" Quayle

Wolfeboro, NH

 On February 12, 2022 Bill Quayle left for the great workshop in the sky after suffering the aftermath of a stroke in early July.  He passed at home with his wife at his side.  Bill was born in Owasso, MI, to James and Ann Quayle.  He cherished his youth, especially family summer adventures at Mullet Lake, MI. 

Bill took courses at the University of Michigan before serving four years in the Army, mostly in Germany.  After his father’s early death, the family moved to Ohio where he met his wife, Katherine.  They raised a son and a daughter in Lyndhurst.  Sadly, he lost his wife in 2004.  He retired as a Drafting Supervisor at Channel Products in 2006 with an abundance of humorous anecdotes involving his engineer buddies.  He was the consummate storyteller. 

A couple of years after his wife’s passing, Bill vacationed in Rye, NH near his sister, Mary.  They came to Wolfeboro, NH to visit Mary’s husband’s cousin, Dianne Rogers, whom he soon wed.  His new home town of Wolfeboro was adopted with relish.  And vice versa. 

Bill took great pride in raising ‘Fritz’ heirloom tomatoes, giving plants and fruit to neighbors, friends, strangers, and to Spider Web Gardens where they continue on.  Another favorite pastime was sailing, including sailing across Lake Erie in the Wayfarer he built himself.  It carried over to sailing is Soling rc sailboat with the Back Bay Skippers in Wolfeboro for almost 15 years, affording him hours of enjoyment and incomparable friendships.  As a member/volunteer with the New Hampshire Boat Museum, Bill helped many classes build kayaks and canoes and helped fellow Back Bay Skippers make or repair their Soling sailboats.  In 2008 he was named “Volunteer of the Year”. 

First and foremost, Bill was a woodworker extraordinaire.  From a beautiful flying angel Gabriel adorning the wall to a new handle for the mailbox, from exquisite half and full boat models to a back scratcher, from a cane to a birdhouse, from fishing lures to ribbon signs, his talent was boundless and compelling.  He has left his mark on Wolfeboro, restoring the beautiful antique at Town Hall, restoring the Town Clerk’s coat rack and the antique ballot box.  For the Wolfeboro Library, Bill made a mini wooden library box for children’s use at Albee Beach. 

While possessing great curiosity and intelligence, ranging from history to how anything was made, to obtaining a US Patent for a table saw accessory.  Bill also possessed a modicum of youthful frivolity endearing him to young and old alike – e.g. at age 68 throwing himself on the snow on the deck to make an angel.  His nieces and nephews were attracted tom him like a magnet from childhood on. 

Bill was predeceased by his first wife, Katherine, and a sister Mary Quayle Lang.  He leaves his devoted wife, Dianne, his beloved son Jamie, Mentor, OH, and daughter Jennifer and Kevin Robinson, Painesville, OH, nephew Andrew Robertson, Freeport. ME, nephew Thomas Robertson, Painesville, OH, niece Janet and Andrew Young, Starksboro, VT, niece Joanne and Kevin Whiting, Lancaster, NH. nephew Mark DeWolf, Wolfeboro, NH, and other nieces and nephews. 

Adhering to his wishes, there will be no funeral.  Friends and family are invited to an event celebrating his life from noon to 3 p.m. on Saturday, March 12th at O Bistro at the Inn on Main, Wolfeboro.  As wished, he will be laid to rest with is sister and his parents at the family burial site in Corunna, MI.  Should you wish to make a gift in his memory, kindly consider the New Hampshire Boat Museum, PO Box 1195, Wolfeboro Falls, NH 03896.

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