William Joseph Vernon III (Bill)

William Joseph Vernon III (Bill), 84, died on at home on Monday, October 27, 2025 after a year-long battle with pulmonary fibrosis.

Bill was born on August 3, 1941, in Charleston General Hospital (W.VA) to William J. Vernon, Jr. and Katherine Elizabeth Vickers Vernon. He lived in Glen Ferris, WV with his parents and sister Betty Jo until the end of his seventh grade. In August of 1954 he and his sister moved to Marietta, Ohio when his father was transferred to the Union Carbide Metals plant as Assistant Supt of the plant’s power station.

Bill joined his classmates at Marietta High School at the beginning of the eighth grade in 1954, which was on what was then called “high school hill”. He was very happy with his new school and enjoyed meeting his new classmates, many of which he stayed in touch with until his death. He graduated from Marietta High School in 1959.

Bill was not particularly happy with his first year at Ohio University and decided, although registered and with housing secured for his sophomore year, in June 1960, to join the Navy. He then was assigned TAD to Sherman Field Naval Air Station, Pensacola, Florida with VT=4 training squadron which trained new pilots until he attended intelligence school. He became a member of the special intelligence branch (the U.S. Naval Security Group) and trained in Pensacola, Florida in cryptographic communications. Over the next three years He was stationed at the Naval Communications Station on the Pacific Island of Guam for eighteen months, then transferred to the Naval Security Group Activity base in Kami Seya, Japan a few miles outside of Yokohama until June 1964. After four active years in the U.S. Navy, he was separated from active duty at Treasure Island (San Francisco) and returned to Marietta. After two years in the inactive reserve, he received his honorable discharge on June 27, 1966.

On his return to Marietta, Bill immediately enrolled in Marietta College night school but later returned to Ohio University where he graduated with a Bachelor of General Studies Degree in 1976; he then returned to Marietta College where he earned an Associate of Arts Degree in Liberal Arts in 2009 followed by a master’s degree in history and political science in June 2013. He also completed at least twelve courses at Hillsdale College in Hillsdale, Michigan. Hillsdale College is known as the most conservative college in the USA. He was also accepted and invited to join a new PhD program at Ohio University in 2021, but COVID appeared, and he decided not to accept the invitation.

On transition from the military to the civilian world Bill joined the Marbon Chemical Company in Washington, WV. His long-term goal was to represent the company in sales/marketing but in 1968 Bill left Marbon/Borg Warner to join the Mooney Process Equipment Company in Detroit, Michigan. This was his first field assignment as a “sales engineer” dealing specifically with materials of construction and the transmission of corrosion media. It was also his first “turnaround” challenge, of which he had several; the chemical industry was his first area of concentration. One of his career challenges was to “turn around” a small valve company as General Manager and Director of Sales and Marketing; following this successful action the company became attractive to the competition and was sold to their most formidable competitor.

Bill retired three times, but he couldn’t stay away; after the first two he missed the action and returned. He worked the last 18 years as a Business Development Manager in the world of trenchless pipe rehabilitation without digging (by a method known as cured in place lining”). His final position was as a Vice President of Sales for a start-up polyethylene pipe company building a national network of United States based representatives/contractors/installers.

For 52 years Bill worked for various corporations generally with design and project engineers.

During these years he held titles of Business Development Manager; General Manager/Director Sales/Marketing; Area Manager and Vice President. His was a life of travel beginning with the responsibility for a five-state area and ultimately the United States, Canada and the world. He retired at 75 years of age.

Earlier, Bill was an active member of the Marietta Jaycees until he became an “exhausted rooster” at 35 years old. During that time, he served as a member of the board of the directors for four years; plus, State Director for one year and District Vice President for one year. He also represented the Marietta Jaycees at the state “Speak-Up” contest.

In 1968 he and four classmates planned their first high school reunion at the Marietta Armory. Bill began to keep track of his classmates in that year and for their 50th reunion they had accounted for all their classmates, except one, from a class of 227. Bill was the coordinator for class reunions; along with excellent committee members they planned and held gatherings every five years; he maintained the contact information until he passed and was the administrator of the MHS59 website. He also began the practice of having a monthly lunch for all classmates after the 45th year reunion. He also worked with his stepbrother Fred Bay, in the design and launch of a twice monthly ZOOM class via website. When they launched their first MHS59 class “Zoom meeting” for all classmates; some of the attendees had not seen or talked with each other for more than 50 years. This ZOOM meeting activity continues under the guidance of classmate Mike Hadley.

Bill was a 50 year plus member of the following: Harmar Masonic Lodge 390; Knights Templer -Chapter, Council and Commandry; and Aladdin Shrine Temple in Columbus. He was also Past President of the Marietta Shrine Club; and member of Marietta American Legion Post 64 and the Marietta Elks Club. He was also a member of the Marietta Salvation Army Board of Advisers.

Bill is survived by his wife Mary; their daughter Traci Perry (Tom); his two wonderful grandchildren Taylor and Will Perry, his niece Betsy Ellen Schob Robinson (Dave) and family, nephew Andrew A. Schob (Candice) and family; sister-in-law Barb Vernon; and all members of the wonderful Paul Kern family of Marietta and beyond. He is also survived by numerous friends, each a family member in their own right.

He was predeceased by his mother and father, his wonderful sister Betty Jo Vernon (Schob), his brother Robert H. Vernon and his stepbrother and classmate, Fred Bay of Cincinnati.

The family wishes to express their sincere gratitude to Dr. Ayla Gordon, Dr. Kelli Cawley, and the dedicated staff of Cawley Hospice and Marietta Memorial Hospital for their compassionate care and support. In lieu of flowers the family requests memorial contributions be made in his memory to St. Jude’s Children’s Research Hospital and Shriners Children’s Hospital.

Family will greet friends at McClure Schafer Lankford Funeral Home from 11:00 am until 1:00 pm Saturday, November 8th. A memorial service will be held at 1:00 pm followed by burial in Putnam Cemetery.