William Edward Hershkowitz |
| Posted 2009-07-18 by Sharla |
| The Wickenburg Sun, Wickenburg, AZ Dec 13, 2006, p. A14 On Tuesday, Dec. 5, Arizona lost one of its native sons. William E. Hershkowitz (Willie), born on Oct. 24, 1955, died at home in Wickenburg. Willie was a third generation Arizonan, the son of William Jr. and grandson of William Hershkowitz who were both born and raised in Congress, Ariz. His great-grandfather Harry Hershkowitz was an Arizona pioneer who moved to Arizona in the late 1800s, settling in Congress where he ran a general store for the mining camps. Willie's paternal family included the Montes, Gallegos and Martinez, all early Arizona Territory families. Willie graduated from Wickenburg High School in 1973 and played Wrangler football and baseball all four years. He was named to the Arizona Republic's All State Team as a catcher in 1973. He attended Yavapai College briefly and worked for Yavapai County as their grader operator for several years before joining his father and his uncle George in the family businesses, Hershkowitz Bros. Excavating (Lug & Tug Construction) and cattle ranching. In 2003, Willie was responsible for overseeing the physical relocation of the historic 140-ton Santa Fe steam locomotive engine and tender from Stone Park, where it had sat since the early 1950s after jumping a track, to its current site near the Santa Fe Depot, which now houses the Wickenburg Chamber of Commerce. The project was financed through the Wellik Foundation. Willie lived for his friends and family and was part of the very fabric of the Wickenburg community. He was known far and wide for his smile, a ready joke or funny story, and for reaching into his pocket for a $50 or $100 bill to support a local cause, from an individual in need to a formal auction or benefit, or to just make it possible for a needy child to have a toy or a student to take a trip or participate in a program. Willie carried on the Hershkowitz family tradition of hosting annual Easter picnic pit barbecues for more than 300-400 friends and family. He regularly donated beef and his pit barbecue skills with love and kindness for endless benefits and community service. He was an avid hunter and fisherman and opened his heart to everyone, including young and old, patiently walking alongside an elder hunter to bag his deer and showing enormous pride in a youngster tackling his first covey of quail. His hunting trips were legendary, and he and his fellow hunters were known for the best elk and venison jerky and sausage around. Willie was a rugged, one of a kind Westerner, held in awe by friends and family alike. He is survived by his mother Dolores Hershkowitz (nee Temerowski), his brothers Frank and Larry, and sisters Susan and Nancy and their families, sister-in-law Carissa Hershkowitz, brother-in-law Eric Vicioso, and nieces and nephews Frankie Lynn, Sammie Jo, and Toni Suzan; Cheyenne, Jeorg and Jimmy; Olivia and Drew, Jacob, Chase, Broc and Mariah. He has a large extended family including aunts and uncles, cousins, nieces and nephews in Arizona, Michigan, California and New Jersey, who held a special place in his heart. He was preceded in death by his father William Jr., baby sister Ruth, his grandmother Grandma Sarah and, most recently his uncle George in January of this year. Mass and rosary were held on Sunday, (Dec. 10) at St. Anthony of Padua's Catholic Church in Wickenburg. A Memorial Service was held on Monday (Dec. 11) at the Wickenburg Community Center. In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations in Willie's name to the Cops Who Care program: Cops Who Care, P.O. Box 2780, Wickenburg, AZ 85358 or the Wickenburg High School Alumni/Hershkowitz Family Scholarship, care of the Wickenburg Chamber of Commerce, 216 North Frontier Street, Wickenburg, AZ 85390. Arrangements are under the direction of Wickenburg Funeral Home. See Also: Find A Grave |
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