Obituary of William F. Vornkahl, III

WESTPORT, CONN William "Bill" Frederick Vornkahl III passed away on Friday, January 26, 2024. Bill was born in Norwalk, CT on August 14, 1930. He graduated from Staples High School in 1948 and served in the Army from 1952–1954 as a high-speed radio operator in the 1st Cavalry Div., 13th Signal Corps. After returning to Westport, Bill married Linnea, and returned to work at Westport Bank and Trust. Bill worked in banking until he retired in 1987. After retirement Bill spent the next 30+ years driving people to and from nearby airports. Bill spent countless hours serving Westport and the veteran community. Bill was a member of the American Legion Post 63 and VFW Post 399 for over 60 years. He was the long-term president of Westport's Veteran Council, the Secretary/Treasurer of the Greens Farms Volunteer Fire Co. since 1950, a Little League coach, and a volunteer on the sideline crew for the Staples High School football team for over 20 years. Bill was proudly inducted into the CT Veterans Hall of Fame in 2013. In Westport, Bill is best known for being the chairman of the Westport Memorial Day Parade since 1970. He was called whenever a parade occurred in Westport, earning him the nickname, "Mr. Parade". An avid traveler and parade goer, Bill's top highlights were attending the Rose Parade in California and visiting Theodore Roosevelt National Park in North Dakota. Always a good humored jokester, Bill made friends everywhere he went and was beloved by his friends and family. He is survived by his four children, William IV (Diane), Susan Meineke (Richard), Ed, and Diane Malone (Joe), and seven grandchildren. Bill was preceded in death by his wife of 67 years, Mary Linnea Vornkahl, sister, Margaret Troll, and brother, George Robert Vornkahl. Calling hours will be on Thursday, February 1st from 4 p.m.–8 p.m. at Harding Funeral Home, in Westport. Funeral services will be held at St. Paul Lutheran Church, 41 Easton Road, Westport, on Friday, February 2nd at 11 a.m. Interment will follow at Willowbrook Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to St. Paul Lutheran Church Capital Fund. See hardingfuneral.com for a detailed obituary.