Obituary of William Howard "Bill" Bortz

LEXINGTON, SC -- William Howard “Bill” Bortz, 73, of Lexington SC, passed away peacefully Sunday, July 4^th, 2021, after a long battle with lung cancer, which ultimately metastasized to his brain after he finished treatment.

Mr. Bortz was born on October 30, 1947, in Beaver Falls, PA, the son of the late Kenneth Bortz and Sarah “Ramaley” Bortz and was the husband of Katherine Ann Bortz. Mr. Bortz was a 1965 graduate of Beaver Falls High School. He then voluntarily enlisted with the U.S. Army and served as SP5 Bortz in the Medic Unit during the Vietnam Conflict. After the conflict, he trained as an Optician and earned his Associates Degree from Ferris State University in Massachusetts and later became licensed in South Carolina.

Mr. Bortz and Kathy celebrated their 36^th wedding anniversary on June 22, 2021. The couple moved to Lexington, SC in 1985 where they raised their son, William Christopher Bortz. In Lexington, Mr. Bortz was a member of the Midlands Striper Club. He had his own business, Bill Bortz Striper Guide Service, after obtaining his Captains License from the U.S. Coast Guard. He was a member of the Lexington VFW post Cedar Crest 8739.

Mr. Bortz had many hobbies that included watching Penn State football, fishing, traveling with his wife, and he loved everything that had to do with trains. He drove a train engine at the North Carolina Train Museum. Mostly, he enjoyed time with his wife, and he adored his son and grandchildren.

Mr. Bortz was an inspiration to all of us by the way he lived his life and how he handled his illness.

Mr. Bortz reaffirmed his salvation, surrounded by his family and grandchildren, with the guidance from our local Riverbend Community Church Pastor Jason Williams on June 26, 2021.

In addition to his loving wife of 36 years, Mr. Bortz is survived by a son, William Christopher Bortz and Wife Suzanne Starr Bortz of Batesburg SC; three grandchildren, Evelyn Grace Bortz, Maelynn Hope Bortz, and Jasper Reid Bortz; numerous nieces and nephews all of PA; a very close cousin Susie Quick of OH; and other extended family. In addition to his parents, William was preceded in death by a brother, Kenneth Bortz, of PA.

Visitation will be held at Thompson Funeral Home in Lexington, SC on July 12, 2021 at 10 AM and will be followed by a Celebration of Life, officiated by Pastor Jason Williams, at 11 AM. The graveside memorial service will be held at Fort Jackson National Cemetery with military honors at 1 PM.

We would like to thank all of you for loving our Husband, Father, PawPaw, our most favorite Veteran, and for taking this time to remember him with us.

In lieu of flowers, the family suggests those wishing to make memorials would do so to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, Memorial Giving, 501 St. Jude Place, Memphis, TN 38105.

Thompson Funeral in Lexington SC is Assisting the Bortz family.