William F. Lotz, III, passed away peacefully at his home in Willow Grove, Pa., on February 28, 2019, at the age of 73. A beloved husband, father, and grandfather, Bill was an engineer, a golfer, a sailor, and a raconteur.

Born in Philadelphia, Bill attended William Penn Charter School where he played varsity tennis and football and wrestled.  He attended the University of Pittsburgh and served in the US Navy.  He joined the family business, Lotz Designers Engineers Constructors, where he served as General Superintendent, Vice President and President.  Later, he started WFL Associates, serving as an owners’ representative and a bank inspector, which allowed him to spend his days on construction sites, doing what he loved.

Bill was a longtime member of the Engineers Club (1970-2002),the Carpenters’ Company of Philadelphia (1974-2003), Huntingdon Valley Country Club, and the Frankford Checker Club.  He also served on the Board of the Associated General Contractors of America and as President of the General Building Contractors Association of Philadelphia.

He was a tireless advocate for the Eastern Center for Arts and Technology in Willow Grove, serving on its Local Advisory Board for 25 years. Having completed his own carpentry apprenticeship as a young man, he firmly believed in the importance of vocational and technical programs, and he was always so proud to watch the students he met at the school thrive and succeed.  In the community, he served on the Board of Directors of the Bucks County Historical Society (Mercer Museum and Fonthill) and on the Board of the Variety Club (Tent 13).

Bill began sailing as a child at the Ocean City Yacht Club, and many of his happiest days were out on the water in Ocean City, NJ. He loved playing golf, biking, and taking long walks with his wife. Called Popeye by his grandchildren, he loved them all fiercely and could play with them for hours without tiring. Bill was a master story teller: he took so much joy in entertaining others, and his laugh was distinctive and infectious. He was absolutely adored by every dog he ever met.  

Bill lived by the highest moral code: he was honest, generous, and loving, and he raised his daughters to be the same.  He is sorely missed by all who knew him, especially his girls: Anne, his beloved wife of nearly 43 years, and his daughters Cathy Boyle (Patrick) and Anne Voorhees (Jeremy), as well as his four grandchildren, Annabelle, Billy, and Grady Boyle and Emma Voorhees, and his sister Barbara McFadden (Thomas).

The Catholic funeral mass will be held on Tuesday, March 5, at 10:30 AM at Our Lady Help of Christians Church (1500 Marian Road, Abington, PA), preceded by a viewing at 9 AM. Interment will be private. Donations in Bill’s memory can be made to the Eastern Center for Arts and Technology, 3075 Terwood Road,Willow Grove, PA 19090.