Remembering a Peacemaker…
Bill Petry
On Monday evening, August 24th, 2009 the world lost one of its great lights. Bill Petry, an intergral member of Michigan Peace Team, was struck & killed while pursuing one of his great passions: riding his bicycle on a beautiful Eaton County country road. Bill was pronounced dead Tuesday morning, but since Bill had signed up to be an organ donor, his body was kept on life support to maintain the viability of his organs while arrangements could be made for a number of people to receive these life-saving gifts. How very “Bill-like” – - using his last breaths to give life and hope to others.
Bill touched so many lives at so many different levels. He was absolutely crazy-in-love with his wife Julia, even after all these many years since they’d first declared their vows to each other. He was such a proud father to his son Hisham, and was enjoying networking with friends here in Lansing to find a new home for Hisham & Lee Anne (his daughter-in-law) in Chicago. After all, networking was one of the things Bill did best! He was also making plans for local people to “roadtrip” to the U.S. Campaign to End the Israeli Occupation conference in Chicago next month (and of course, he volunteered to be one of the drivers). And, as always, he was helping Michigan Peace Team line up volunteers to help with our International Peace Team trainings. He was working on plans to bring an investigative photojournalist from Gaza – Sameh Habeeb – here to speak. Who knows what all else Bill was doing….. in his role at Lansing Community College as a teacher & advisor there; or with People for Positive Social Change, where he acted as their faculty advisor; or for the Greater Lansing United Nations Association, where he was a board member; or as a long-time member of the Peace Education Center & founding member of the Middle East Awareness Committee? Tomorrow, at noon, is the regular vigil at the Capital for peace in the Middle East. And for the first time in memory, Bill won’t be there.
Bill was afire with a passion for peace with justice, for an end to the occupation of Palestine, and with the belief that one person CAN make a difference. He loved life, and he loved the people in his life, and he made sure they knew it.
May each of us take and own a piece of that fire that burned so brightly in Bill. May we pass it along to new friends and new peacemakers. And may we renew our own dedication to the kind of nonviolent, creative peacemaking that Bill so boldly, selflessly, and joyfully showed us.
When living in Lansing in the 1980’s, I enjoyed many bike rides with Bill including one Del Mac ride. He left me with many happy memories of friendship and healthy living.
Bill was a man of peace. He inspired commitment to work for peace in others. His compassion for people, suffering from violence and war, came not from idology, but a vision that in this world men and women can live in peace. I learned from him; he was for me an inspiration. Although I did not see him often, his passing is a deep lose.
I will keep his family in prayer. May he rest in peace.
Tom McGuire
I am sorry for your loss MPT, as well as those who knew Bill as an inveterate supporter of peace and justice, and loving citizen of the world.
I had the pleasure of spending time with him when he came to Oregon–where I live–to start a bike ride back to Michigan, then later had an opportunity to meet his wife, Julia. To you, MPT, and to Julia and the rest of Bill’s family, I am sorry. But please know your grief is shared around the world.
My husband and I cannot join you Friday but we will take a bike ride in his honor on that day, and will think about the many and consistent contributions he made in his life to making this a better world. Thank you, Bill. We will miss you. Maria Doyle and AJ Rogers
Dear Julia & all:
On behalf of ADC Michigan & the Arab American Community it serves in Michigan, please accept our sincere condolences for the passing of or dear freind & a peace maker & bridge builder the late Bill Perty.
Indeed, it is a great loss to all of us and especially those who worked with Bill through out the long years on behalf of Peace & justice. Bill is gong to be missed, but his legacy & his struggle will continue to move forward. May God bless his soul & may God grant his wife Julia & his love ones with the patience & comfort.
Our condolences to all.
Regards,
Imad Hamad
ADC Sr. National Advisor/Regional Director
ACCHR- President & CEO
13530 Michigan Ave # 329- Dearborn, MI 48126/USA
313-581-1201 Fax:313-581-1604
*** Alternate Email Address: Imadadc@gmail.com
For more information regarding the ADC Michigan Events
http://www.adcmichigan.org http://www.adc.org
How amazing and perfect that Bill was doing what he loved to do when he finished this trip. My appreciation for Bill will be forever. I was so lucky to spend all those years “working” at the Peace Ed Center with him. I am smiling with Bill right now.
Thanks for this remembrance of Bill; it does very well in painting a vivid picture of him. He was so generous with MPT and other organizations, and all those whose lives he touched.
How very tragic for the Bill’s family, the Michigan Peace Team, our world in desparate need of peacemakers, and for all the people Bill has ministered with and to in his many years of dedicated service.
It is heartening to see how many people I know have posted notes about Bill on their FB site or commented in one of the numerous blogs,articles or other places to do so. It is such a testiment to how many lives he touched.
What an amazing individual.
I was always moved by Bill’s deep love for Julia. Such a fantastic couple. There are many stories I will think of in remembering Bill, but the common thing that weaves them together was his willingness to help. A loan (which of course became a gift) when getting lost means I arrived with an empty tank of gas and a long ride back home, the endless calls to find folks to do roleplays or to line up a space for an MPT training, a driver for a conference, sticking around to pick up chairs after an event…. the list goes on. Always willing to work behind the scenes and give of himself – his deep commitment to justice and peace and his genuine affection for people and enjoyment of life came across to all of us who were lucky enough to call him a friend.
Bill Petry is my hero, Every thing about this man is heroic he inspired me to be a better person a week before his death I was telling my beloved wife about this hero how he spend most his live fighting for the future of our children. I love riding my bicycle too But I did not have the honor to ride with bill, I will be riding my bicycle thinking of my hero…(Bill Petry). All the love from me & my family To his wife Julia Who he loved very much.
We are sorry for missing the funeral, We were in Chicago when this happend —
Ali Elbast & Family
& alielbast@yahoo.com
To all those that knew Bill and loved him, I am so sorry for your loss. You are in my thoughts and prayers.
Cheryl
For almost eight years Bill Petry was a part of the Lansing Peace Vigil which gathers at Friday noon in front of the Michigan Capitol. Bill’s favorite sign was Honk for Peace. Bill was our peace and justice friend. We will miss him very much. The Peace Vigil community will keep Bill’s spirit alive in our work and we will remember him in our closing circle.
Honk for Peace! Honk for Justice! Honk for Bill!
The crowds kept coming – the seemingly endless line of mourners paying homage to this Man of Peace just kept pouring into Tiffany’s Funeral Home last Friday. At the funeral service on Saturday morning, every single seat was filled leaving standing room only for the hundreds who came to bid farewell to Bill and to support his family. None of us would ever have known the true depth and breadth of his love and passion for peace without the physical presence and vocal tributes of all those who came to his funeral. Folks representing LCC faculty, staff & students; Peace Education Center; Michigan Peace Team; Pax Christi Michigan; Greater Lansing Network Against War and Injustice; Lansing’s West Side neighbors; bikers and more. What a tribute to Bill, and to his beloved wife, son and daughter-in-law. I know they felt overwhelmed with the love, sympathy and compassion shown by all. Thank you, Bill, for enriching all of our lives with your spirit, your love, your hope, your hard work and passion for justice and peace throughout the world. We will miss your gentle presence and persistent spirit.
With love & peace,
Joan Tirak
On behalf of Pax Christi Michigan
I think we all need inspiration in our work for peace and justice and I would like to share mine with you. Last week when I received a phone call that a friend of mine, Bill Petry, had been hit by a truck and killed as he was riding his bicycle I was overwhelmed with grief and disbelief. I work with death and dying every day in a health care center but these are women who are prepared and expect to die. I help them to make that final journey. Bill’s death was a shock out of the blue but I believe that he too in some peaceful way was ready by the life that he led.
Bill and I served together on the finance committee of the Michigan Peace Team. Our little group met once a month. Bill’s entire life was spent in giving and working for others. I remember him as always gentle and peaceful yet strong and organized.
I have never been to a Wake and Funeral so inspiring than last Friday and Saturday. Every chair was filled and hundreds were standing. It was a totally diverse group – family, students & faculty from Lansing community college where he taught, every peace group imaginable, African Americans, Haitians, Hispanics, Middle Easterners, bikers, homeless, children, and adults.
The service went on for almost two hours with remembrances of Bill. I would guess that there were over 100 cars in the funeral procession. The funeral parlor ran out of flags and had to put them on every other car.
I am inspired to ask what more can I do. May we all continue our work for peace in whatever way we are able.
Mary Pat Dewey
A LOG IS AN EXPONENT. I wrote this the other day for my students in rural Uganda, and couldn’t help but think of Bill, or Mr. Petry as I was remembering him. First as a mathematics teacher at LCC, then as an activism mentor with PPSC and finally support as I learned to be an educator, and sent students to him. Bill made a huge impact on my life in more ways than he would ever have known, and is continuing to do so as I teach my math classes, ride my bicycle and am politically active, a world away. Thank you, you will be deeply, fundamentally missed.
i was shocked to learn about his death.he was a hero supporting the palestinian course , a loving human being, whom many of us in palestina will never forget. my deep condolences to julia , god bless his soul.
I just learned of Bill’s death from a mutual friend, and my husband Ahmed and I are still in shock and grief! He was always an inspiration to me in Peace Education Center committee work and a great friend, easy-going, ever-positive, encouraging and loving. We were back at work in the United Arab Emirates before the tragedy occurred, but are so sorry to have not been able to attend the wake. Our love and sorrow are shared with his loving and greatly loved family, Julia, Hesham and his wife. We will miss a great friend to the world!
Mary Kay Rathke
Ahmed Hussein