Dr. William Milton Wolery
Dr. William Milton Wolery, 86 of Portsmouth, died Friday March 25, 2022, at Hill View Retirement Center. He was born January 18, 1936, in Portsmouth to the late Oren Earl and Garnet Marie Wanless Wolery.
Along with his parents he was preceded in death by 6 brothers; James Charles Wolery, Walter Wayne Wolery, Floyd Alexander Wolery, John Joseph Wolery, David Lee Wolery and Michael Errol Wolery, and 2 sisters: Anna Carroll Wolery Christman and Nancy Alice Wolery Kaseman.
Bill was a 1954 graduate of Portsmouth West High School. His Senior quote, “Impossible? – No such thing!” During his attendance at West, he was very active in instrumental and vocal music and with the Boy Scouts of America, where he received his Eagle Scout, and later went on to become a Scout Leader and Scout Master in his adult years. He continued to support Scouting in the area and was very supportive of the restoration of Camp Oyo.
A life-long learner, he attended The Ohio State University, and later graduated from Ohio University with a Bachelor of Science Degree in Education. He went on to attend and graduate from the Ohio College of Podiatric Medicine. Following his graduation, “Doc” opened his practice in Portsmouth in 1971. During his years in practice, he also opened offices in both West Union and Ironton, Ohio, and enjoyed visiting area nursing homes to provide one-on-one care to his less ambulatory patients. He was also a proud United States Navy Veteran.
Bill was a big fish – an avid outdoorsman and sportsman who loved golfing with his son and others, fishing, and hunting. He was a spinner of yarns and singer of songs and performed at different times throughout his life. His curiosity was boundless. He had a taste for adventure and travel and loved flying and all things associated with aircraft.
Bill loved his community and served it. He was a member of Aurora Masonic Lodge #48 in Portsmouth, Scottish and York Rites, El Hasa Shrine, and the Southern Ohio Shrine Club. He was also a member of the Portsmouth Rotary Club and was active with the March of Dimes. He attended Cornerstone United Methodist Church.
Bill is survived by his loving wife Helen Merritt Wolery whom he met and fell in love with at OSU and married on December 17,1960 in Columbus, a son, William E. (Eva) Wolery of Portsmouth, 2 daughters: Jennifer L. Wolery of Knoxville, TN and Nancy A. (Jeffrey) Little of Columbus, a sister Martha Jean Wolery (Ray) Keller of New Bern, NC, 3 sisters in law: Donna Wolery of Portsmouth, Audrey Hilliard of Orient, and Sandra Wolery of Columbus, 5 grandchildren: Stephanie Hacker, Andrew (Maranda) Hacker, Anna Branham, Jacob Little and Jackson Little along with many, many loved nieces and nephews.
A memorial service will be held 12:00 PM Saturday April 9, 2022, at Cornerstone United Methodist Church with Reverend Ralph Clay officiating. Friends may gather starting at 10:00 AM. A Masonic service will be held at 7:00 PM on Friday April 8, 2022, at the Roger W. Davis Funeral Home in West Portsmouth with the Aurora Masonic Lodge #48 conducting the service. Friends may gather starting at 6:00 PM. Funeral arrangements are under the direction of Roger W. Davis Funeral Home in West Portsmouth. The family suggests donations in memoriam to the Camp Oyo Staff & Alumni Association at P.O. Box 1746, Portsmouth, Ohio 45662. Other condolences may be sent to www.rogerwdavisfuneralhome.com.
The lives we are given are so very precious and short. Twenty years are gone in a day, 20 more in the night. Very few of us know how precious that time is and how precious those around us are. There’s people who waste that time as though they’ve got multiple lives stashed in their back pocket, then there’s those like Bill, who obviously knew how important and short our time truly is because that man lived several lives all rolled up in to one,. One truly impressive and selfless of a life. I hadn’t known Bill or Helen or the family but just a couple months over a year and in that time I was welcomed into their home and welcomed into their lives. That’s the type of treatment of others so memorable and appreciated, that it makes us want to live a better life, be better people and love with all our hearts, and that’s very hard to come by in today’s times. Doc, you will be missed and I could never express to you or your family how much knowing you all has improved my life and my will to live it. Thank you for all the kindness and advice, the world would be better if they just made a few more like you!