William (Bill) James Lohmeyer, age 84, of Hutchinson, KS and Murfreesboro, TN, passed away on the evening of July 25, 2024 in Murfreesboro. Bill was born in Wichita, KS on August 24, 1939.
Bill was married to the late Pat Thomas of Halstead, KS. They had four children, Terri, Michael, Susan, Jim and five grandchildren. Bill later married Janet Goering of Hutchinson and they were married for 37 years, until Janet's passing in 2015.
On March 19, 2016, Bill married Palma Mitzel, of Sun City, AZ. Palma is the mother of Angela (Michael), Alan (Yvonne), Anthony (Alison), and Sam (Arica). Bill and Palma later relocated back to Hutchinson, KS and Murfreesboro, TN to be closer to family.
Bill is survived by his wife Palma, son Jim (Vickie), daughter Susan, brother Art, step-daughter Amy, step-son Peter, step-daughter Angela and step-sons, Alan, Anthony and Sam.
Bill was preceded in death by Pat and Janet, his daughter Terri, son Mike, and his step-son Mike Goering.
Growing up in Halsted, KS and Hackensack, NJ (among many other stops), Bill was an outstanding athlete, excelling in football and his life-long passion, baseball (go Yankees!). Later in life, Bill, competitive as always, played over 500 ball games while a resident in Sun City and only laid down his glove when a snap-throw to first took out his shoulder. Multi-talented, Bill played several brass instruments in high school and the Navy, and was a stand-out vocalist.
Bill enlisted in the United States Navy as a 17 year-old teenager and credited much of his success in life to his time in the military. Bill was a special duty helmsman and fire-control technician on the USS Furse, which was "pretty cool for a kid from Halstead, KS". Always very patriotic, Bill performed for the City of Hutchinson's centennial, wearing a vintage World War I uniform. If you ever wanted to have a great conversation with Bill, you'd ask him about his time in the Navy!
Bill and Palma enjoyed years of acting and singing together as members of the Sun City Community Theater. By all accounts, Bill was an excellent actor and an even better singer. Known for his exceptional stage presence, Bill was the Master of Ceremonies for Sun City and Bill and Palma (and Palma's parents), put on hundreds of shows for the community with their group, Dusk to Dawn. Bill always had a sparkle in his eye when Palma was acting or dancing and loved being on stage with her. Any time Bill put on his white tuxedo, you knew it was showtime!
Bill's legacy is one of love, devotion and patriotism. Bill will be missed, but he will continue to inspire and comfort those who knew him through the countless memories he leaves behind.
Friends are invited to visit the family and share memories and condolences on Saturday, August 3, from 1:00 to 3:00 at Murfreesboro Funeral Home, 145 Innsbrooke Blvd., Murfreesboro, TN. 37128. Funeral services will begin at 3:00.
Memorial Contributions are suggested for the Tunnel to Towers Foundation.