William 'Bill' Ackley

Former Troy elementary principal William "Bill" Ackley, 59, died Wednesday, Jan. 3, 2007, in Florida following a long battle with leukemia.

He was born June 20, 1947, in Richland, Wash., to the late Lloyd and Helen Ackley.

Bill grew up and graduated from high school in Kennewick, Wash. His love for sports was formed during these years and continued throughout his life.

In 1969, Bill graduated with a bachelor's in business administration from Eastern Washington University, where he met his wife, the former Marjory Armstrong.

Following their marriage in 1970, they settled in Spokane, Wash., and moved to Montana in 1972.

An elementary educator in Montana for 31 years, Bill taught in Forsyth, Havre and Kremlin.

He earned a master's in elementary education from Northern Montana College in 1976 and completed the advanced elementary administrator course at the University of Montana in 1982.

Bill was principal at Nashua Elementary, superintendent in Somers and finished his career in Troy as principal of Morrison Elementary for 16 years. During these years he touched and enriched the lives of countless students, teachers and parents with his patient, wise counsel and guidance.

Bill loved working with students in kindergarten through eighth grades. He shared his passion for athletics by coaching many youth basketball, soccer and baseball teams.

Bill participated in numerous mid- to long-distance races including marathons. He played shortstop on the 1975 state fastball championship team and honed his golf game during the short Montana playing seasons.

In 2003, he retired to Ormond Beach, Fla.

Bill worked for two years with Publix Supermarkets, an occupation that financed his college education more than 30 years earlier.

For the first time in his life, he indulged in his love for golf, spring baseball training and living on the beach.

Bill was an active member of Church of the Holy Child in Ormond Beach and Kairos prison ministry team.

He also was preceded in death by a sister, Betty.

Bill is survived by his wife; daughter Erinn and son-in-law Daniel Seifert of Red Lodge; sisters Jeanne Kruse of Kirkland, Wash., and Patricia Morrow of Kennewick, Wash., and a brother, Robert Ackley of Placerville, Calif.

Funeral services were held at Church of the Holy Child on Jan. 8.

Memorials may be made to The Central Florida Chapter of the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society, 3319 Maguire Blvd. Suite 101, Orlando, Fla., 32803.