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The family requests that those attending wear masks and no food permitted...Thank you for understanding.
William “Bill” Harrison Warren, Jr. of Leesburg, Indiana passed away at 3:28 p.m. on Saturday, November 13, 2021 at Lutheran Hospital of Fort Wayne, Indiana at the age of 84.
He was born on September 5, 1937 in Sevastopol, Indiana to Wilma Marie (Fear) Warren and William Harrison Warren, Sr. At the young age of 18 he knew he wanted to spend the rest of his life with his high school sweetheart, Molly Emm Phillips. They were married on December 23, 1955 and for the next 65 years they shared all of life’s adventures from becoming parents to grandparents and everything in between.
Bill was a lifetime resident of Kosciusko County, Indiana where he was a 1956 graduate of Warsaw High School. He was very athletic and played Varsity Football in school.
He was smart and determined to create a career so he could support his family. Through the years, he has had a variety of different jobs including cleaning cars at the Chrysler dealership, managing the Gulf filling station, working for North American Marine and selling boats for Red Fish. Bill later joined his father in the real estate business. He became a Realtor in 1963 and started his own business, ABC Realty, which he and Molly ran for over 40 years. They developed and sold commercial and residential real estate including Chinworth Estates-Vista and Lincoln Apartments. He was also a broker and an Indiana Certified Residential Appraiser. During this time, he was a member and served as president of the Kosciusko County Board of Realtors. He was named Realtor of the Year in 1975. In 2007, Bill was honored by the Kosciusko County Board of Realtors as an Honorary Emeritus Member.
Bill succeeded at supporting his own family, but also in helping families all across Kosciusko County who have a son, daughter or loved one with a disability. When his second child Mark was born, he had a complicated delivery, during which his brain was deprived of oxygen and he was born with brain damage. When the time came for Mark to start school, he and his wife were told there was no place for their son in the local school system. He was determined to do everything he could for his son and to give him every opportunity for schooling. Therefore, in 1963, he and his wife rented a home, along with five other families, and hired a teacher. The school grew quickly and evolved into what is now known as Cardinal Services. Under his leadership, the idea of creating a place to provide services to people with disabilities truly took hold in our community, what began as a small school for children on High Street, grew steadily as Bill began to focus on jobs and training for young adults with disabilities. Cardinal now serves 4000 people across 4 counties; has 460 employees; is recognized as a statewide leader in the field of disability services; and continues – as Bill did – to envision new opportunities for people with disabilities.
Bill was named the 2019 Kosciusko Chamber of Commerce Man of the Year, he was a longtime member of the Pierceton Masonic Lodge No. 377 F. & A.M. and the Warsaw Shrine Club. He always had a servant’s heart, he was a kind, humble man who quietly got things done in the community. Bill loved being involved and volunteering when and wherever he was able to do so. Most of all he will forever be loved and remembered as a loving husband, father, grandfather, great-grandfather and friend to many.
He will be lovingly remembered by his wife: Molly E. Warren (Leesburg, Indiana); two sons: John (Lisa Rostvold) Warren (Leesburg, Indiana); Mark Warren (Warsaw, Indiana); daughter: Penny (Spencer) Brown (Leesburg, Indiana); four grandchildren and three great-grandchildren. He was preceded in death by his parents and sister, Janet Thompson in 2016.
Visitation will be held from 4:00 – 7:00 p.m. on Tuesday, November 16, 2021 at Redpath-Fruth Funeral Home, 225 Argonne Road, Warsaw, Indiana. Members of the Pierceton Masonic Lodge will conduct a Masonic Service at 7:00 p.m.
Bill’s life will be celebrated at 10:00 a.m. on Wednesday, November 17, 2021 at Redpath-Fruth Funeral Home and officiated by Jay Rigdon. A graveside service will follow at Oakwood Cemetery of Warsaw. The family requests that those attending wear masks and no food permitted.
Memorial donations may be directed to Cardinal Services, 504 N Bay Dr, Warsaw, IN 46580 and would be appreciated by the family.
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