SE Wisconsin Board Member William “Bill” Murgas

It’s with sadness and a heavy heart that we share with you that our good friend and a true Red Crosser William “Bill” Murgas passed away on Tuesday, December 12, at the age of 92. Bill passed peacefully surrounded by family and friends. Funeral services are pending and we’ll pass on additional information as soon as we receive it.

Bill was a lifetime board member at the Southeast Wisconsin Chapter who dedicated 67 years of his life to service as a volunteer for the American Red Cross.

Bill began his Red Cross journey in 1956 as a member and Explorers unit advisor after returning home from military service in Europe. Over the years he became a champion of the Red Cross’ mission and his involvement grew to include CPR and First Aid training in the 1970s, and disaster volunteerism into the 1990s. In fact, the mantle at his suburban Milwaukee home was made from a beam of a barn destroyed by a tornado in rural Wisconsin – a gift from the barn owner to Bill for the relief and clean-up efforts the Red Cross performed after that disaster. Just this week, Bill continued his legacy of generosity with a match for our holiday campaign and this spring is scheduled to be inducted into the American National Red Cross Chairman’s Council.

Outside of the Red Cross, Bill had a successful career as an engineer. He spent over 30 years at Velvac Inc., with a stint as the Wisconsin manufacturer’s president and CEO. Bill also spent more than two decades as a volunteer firefighter in New Berlin and his community generosity extended to his fellow first responders, the arts and more.

Bill was a devoted humanitarian and a philanthropist who lived by the adage “service is the price you pay for the space you occupy.” This quote is splashed across the walls of the Red Cross office in Milwaukee, where one wing carries his name, and this principle guides volunteers and employees across all lines of service – in blood donations, disaster relief, life-saving training, military service and volunteering.

Over the years Bill’s impact on the American Red Cross of Wisconsin has been immeasurable. He will be missed dearly not only as an advocate for our mission, but as a friend to those of us who were fortunate enough to know him. We as an organization, are honored and ever better because of the time we shared with him.

Sincerely,

Mark Thomas & Jill Orton