“I’m a dad, no matter what you do in life, I did it first and it was much harder and it paid much less”…

William O’Rell, of Kennewick WA. died at the age of 102 on June 10th, 2025. He was born April 26, 1923, in Chicago, Illinois to Thomas Francis and Minnie (Noven) O’Rell. He was the oldest of four children.

Raised in Chicago, Illinois during the Great Depression Bill worked several jobs while attending high school including caddying at a local country club and working nights in a screw machine factory to help support the family. After high school he attended Wright City College in Chicago, then studied for a short time at Oklahoma A&M prior to entering the war.

Throughout his life, Bill always stood up for what he believed in and put his value in a day’s work for a day’s pay. He was guided by his passion for saving money for a “rainy day” while providing for the family.

After the start of WWII, he was inducted into the U.S. Army in early 1943. Following basic training he applied for and was accepted into an elite program known as the “Army Specialized Training Program” (ASTP) stationed at John’s Hopkins University in Baltimore, MD. Later in preparation for the D-day invasion the ASTP was disbanded, and he was assigned to the 94th infantry division and was sent to England.

The 94th landed on Utah beach as replacement troops after the D-Day invasion. The 94th was part of Patton’s third Army and he fought with his unit through the hedgerows of France and the Ardennes Forest during the “Battle of the Bulge” and crossed the Siegfried line into Germany. While fighting near Sinz, Germany, Bill was severely wounded in action on the 27th of January 1945.

After the war and rehabilitation, Bill worked as a draftsman, and then as an electrical engineer working his way up to chief engineer and project manager on many projects included the Glen Canyon Dam in Arizona, and the Titan I and II missile programs for the U.S. military during the cold war.

During the early 1950’s he was married and had three sons. After several years and multiple jobs, the family moved to Richland WA in 1966, and he took a job with Vitro engineering for the Hanford Nuclear Site. Bill never “retired” from engineering as he was always designing something for his next big project with his creative knowledge and expertise. Bill remarried in the 1970’s and would remain in the Tri-Cities the remainder of his life.

Bill was also an accomplished outdoorsman – he enjoyed hunting, fishing, and camping. He also enjoyed competition target shooting. Later he would rediscover golf and it became his passion

for most of the remainder of his life. He was proud of the fact that he made many hole-in-ones over all the years. He and his wife Mary were members of the Tri-City Country Club and often traveled around the country on golf vacations. In addition to golf our father enjoyed oil painting and recounted many of his life memories in his artwork.

Bill even built his own custom home in Richland, WA (with the help of his three sons). He was proud of the fact he completed the entire building on a shoestring budget. Bill loved a good discount – he always remembered to ask for a: cash discount, military discount, and senior discount (sometimes getting all three!). Nothing could stop him once he set his mind on something. By now, you’re probably wondering: “what didn’t Bill do”? In addition to his aforementioned accomplishments, he was a long-standing board member of the Richland Cemetery Association and had many friends in the community. He attended weekly get-togethers with friends at the local Spudnut shop helping solve the world’s problems and sharing laughs and stories with his friends. Bill squeezed in at least two to three lifetimes into his 102 years. He lived life with the gate wide open and always had a surplus of martini’s for when a friend stopped by. He claimed that his secret to his longevity was “good booze”. He was a legend and an inspiration to all.

Bill is survived by his sons Kevin O’Rell of Richland, Michael (Dana) O’Rell of Louisville Co., and Glenn (Wendy) O’Rell of College Place. His sisters Ilene Marshall and Laura Ann Mason both from southern CA. He is predeceased by his wife Mary O’Rell, nee Davis, his brother Robert O’Rell, and Parents Thomas and Minnie O’Rell.

The family would like to thank P.A. Wall, and Maria from “team Bravo” of the Richland VA Medical center, As well as Tri-Cities Chaplaincy for the help, guidance, and compassion during our father’s final days. We would also like to thank the staff at Trio’s E.R. for their care and compassion in the months prior.

In lieu of flowers, please consider donations on behalf of Bill to one of your favorite organizations -or- plant a memorial tree in memory of Bill O’Rell (alivingtribute.org).

In respect for our fathers wishes no public ceremony will be held. Anyone wanting to express their thoughts and memories may do so by logging onto sunsetgardenstricities.com/obituaries/ and signing the online guestbook.