William Joseph Deflorian, Sr.

William “Bill” Joseph DeFlorian, Sr., 75 of Genoa, passed away peacefully at his daughter’s home on Wednesday, September 21, 2016 surrounded by his family after a long battle with heart and lung disease.
He was born April 29, 1941 in La Crosse to Basil and Barbara (Trussoni) DeFlorian. He attended DeSoto and Viroqua Schools. Bill had served in the United States Navy from 1959 until his discharge in 1965. He was stationed in San Diego, CA and in 1962 he was stationed in Guantanamo Bay Cuba during the Cuban Missile Crisis. Bill worked for the Continental Can Company for many years until his retirement. He was a member of the Genoa/De Soto American Legion Post 246.
Bill was a simple man with a heart of gold. He married Gloria Thompson, the love of his life in 1965. Together they raised 7 children and they later divorced. He enjoyed fishing, bird watching, working on cars, spending time with his children and grandchildren. He also loved to collect antiques.
Bill is survived by his former wife, Gloria DeFlorian; seven children, Robert DeFlorian, William DeFlorian, Jr., Michael (Renee) DeFlorian, Michelle Gillespie, Corina (Shimmer) DeFlorian, Travis DeFlorian and Denise (Eric) Thompson; two sisters, Barabra Becker and Pauline Engh; a brother, George DeFlorian; four sisters-in-law, Mary , Dorothy, Kathy and Mary DeFlorian; grandchildren, Heather (Jared), Ashley, Maggie (Tony), Codey (Chelsea), Alec, Hunter (Xenia), Connor, Cali, Cassidy and Cadence; five great-grandchildren, Weston, Livia, Easton, Kilby “Paco” and Taelyn “Susanna” with another one on the way, several nieces and nephews and Amanda and Katelyn who he considered as his grandchildren. Bill was preceded in death by his parents; siblings, Margaret Mooney and her husband Richard, Robert DeFlorian, Donald DeFlorian, Raymond DeFlorian and his wife Esther and Edward DeFlorian; brother-in-laws, Donald Becker and Laverne Engh and a son-in-law, Daniel Gillespie.
Bill’s family would like to thank the hospice and palliative care teams at Gundersen Health System and Meals on Wheels for their loving care and support.
Memorial services will be held at 11:00 AM Monday, September 26th at the Schumacher-Kish Funeral and Cremation Services, 200 West Ave. So. La Crosse. Deacon Richard Sage will officiate. Burial with military honors will follow in St. Charles Catholic Cemetery, Genoa. Visitation will be held at the funeral home on Monday from 9:30 AM until the time of services.