Saturday, June 26, 2010

Monona Loses A Leader - Bill Bathke

[Addendum: WPS has set up a board for posting remembrances of Bill.  www.memorialwebsites.legacy.com/BillBathke ]

And yet more sad news to pass along. Monona resident Bill Bathke passed away suddenly on Friday evening, June 25.

Bill was the Executuve VP and Chief Operating Officer of WPS, but did so much more for the Monona and larger Madison community. He was chair of the Monona Police and Fire Commission and had served as president of the Monona Chamber of Commerce. He was recently named to the Madison In Business Executive Hall of Fame. Bill was renowned for his personal touch with the many WPS employees. He was one of the go-to guys for so many city projects. He was the epitome of a civic leader.

He was a personal friend of my wife and I for many, many years. He always had a kind word. I cannot believe I'm writing about Bill in the past tense.

Bill Bathke will be missed.

31 comments:

  1. A very sad day for Monona, city of Madison and ever person Bill has touched. Bill was a kind hearted, dedicated man who will be greatly missed by the community, employees, friends and family. Our thoughts and prayers will be with his family during this difficult time.

    God Bless!

    -a grateful WPS employee

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  2. It is a huge loss for WPS and the City of Monona....

    I'm at a loss for words.....

    RIP Bill....
    lh

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  3. RIP BILL, you will be greatly missed. A huge loss for WPS.

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  4. The community lost a great man. I am an employee of WPS, and always looked forward to the day where he would stop by. He ALWAYS cared about us and what we had going on in our lives...always shook each one of our hands with a great big smile on his face. This is so sad...he will be deeply missed. RIP Bill

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  5. Words cannot express the sadness of Bill's passing. Bill's kindness and smile touched each and everyone person he met. My thoughts and prayers go out to Bill's family. We will miss him every day at WPS.

    - a WPS employee

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  6. a WPS employeeSunday, June 27, 2010

    WPS will never be the same. Ive only known Bill a short while, but he's taught me so much about what kindness, generosity, and hard work can do. I will miss his presence, it always made me feel like I was really a part of the WPS family- a family that's also suffered a huge loss. My prayers are with all close to this great man.

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  7. He epitomized the concept of one drop making a huge ripple. He was always genuinely interested in every he spoke to. The world is a better place because he was in it. May God hold him close.

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  8. Thoughts and prayers for Bill's family...he will be missed. As a WPS employee, I always enjoyed seeing Mr Bathke whenever he came through our department...he'd stop at each of our desks, say hello, shake your hand, ask how things were going, maybe comment on your families pictures on your wall...very personable, made you feel like he really cared. Thank you Mr Bathke...we will all miss your presence at WPS.

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  9. Good Bye Bill:

    My friend and a very, very good businessman. But greater still, a great man in heart. We talked about my trips to Africa and you loved my photo's. Your office was filled of pictures of your family, and you loved your grand kids immensely. Even though we talked alot about business, we were friends in the heart-people always meant more to you than anything in business. I admired your ethics, but still more want and desire to do the "right thing" made you a man I respected deeply. You started in HR the day I started in sales in the 70's. Thanks for all you did for me-you'll be missed my friend, but I know that somewhere, you'll still be looking at photo's I promised to show you from my Botswana trip-my heart is sad and crying today for I lost more than a friend, I lost a "buddy."- Greg

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  10. The world is a better place because of Bill Bathke. He was a rare CEO who "got it" with all his heart. His genuine compassion and ability to embrace the greater good is unmatched. He will continue to shine brightly over the greater Madison community and the lives of the many he impacted. The void is big. May his family find solace in this difficult time.

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  11. this is truly a sad day , as a former employee i still remember seeing him after i left the company and he still recognized me and talked to me. I can only hope that he is finally at peace and i pray that his family has the strength and faith to get thru this terribly sad time

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  12. even if you only met him once many years ago he would remember you if he saw you again- no matter how high up the corp. ladder you were he would take time to talk to you - My prayers are now with his family.

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  13. God Bless you Bill

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  14. To the Bathke family. You lost a great man, and he will be deeply missed by his extended family at WPS. He was a kind, and thoughtful man that took the time to say hi to anyone that crossed his path. He WAS WPS. I remember one time where we were at lunch at Rosario's and Bill was there. He didn't know us by name, but bought us lunch. That is how generous of a man he was. We will miss him and keep him in our hearts.

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  15. My thoughts and prayers are extended to Bill's family and to all of the WPS employees who have lost a true friend. His smile was infectious and his warmth and caring towards his employees is something that is very rare in the business community. We have lost a treasure and he will be greatly missed! Sail on, Shipmate!

    - - - - A WPS employee

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  16. I have never meet a kinder man than Bill. As a WPS employee we are all very saden by his passing. Our prayers go out to the family.

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  17. One of the most honorable people I have ever known in my 36 year business career. He cared deeply about his company and realized that the company IS its employees. He was a tenacious negotiator and extremely fair. A good listener...rare for someone in his position. His integrity and ethics provide a model for others to strive to achieve! The insurance industry has lost a true solid LEADER!

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  18. I am a past employee of WPS but will never forget Bill. He always came around and said hello to everyone and was always very pleasant. He always made us feel like we were the company and that we mattered. A CEO coming around and doing something like that is rare, especially the size of WPS.

    I'll never forget you, Bill. God Bless.

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  19. As a former employee in the Michigan office, I can only echoe the sentiments above. I called him Mr. Bathke once, and he corrected me and said, please call me Bill. He is the most wonderful leader I had the priveldge of knowing. My deepest sympathy to his family.

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  20. As a former employee, my heart is saddened by the loss of such a wonderful man. He truly cared about everyone and made his presence known often. He didn't care your rank or title - he always talked to you and wished you and your family well for an upcoming weekend or holiday. A rare entity in the corporate world

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  21. Should be popping around the corner any time now, asking me what I'm working on, thanking me for working hard, asking me what I'm doing for the fourth and how my girls are, I'm sad. Will really miss Bill!

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  22. I am an employee of WPS an always enjoyed bill's visits thru our department; greeting each and every person, and wishing them a good weekend and always said personal comments about photos on your desk or about your family. His "presence" arived before he entered a room and you knew you just met an incredible human being and knew you wouldn't meet anyone like him again. He had such a strong positive energy that radiated off of him and everyone just gravitated to him just to shake his hand and thanking him for stopping by. He treated everyone the same, the top president to us down in the basement. Madison lost a great man and a greater human being. We should all strive to be as caring and "real" as bill was.

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  23. I have to agree with all who have praised him and loved his genuine interest in every person he met. I was an employee at WPS until 1997 and had numerous opportunities to meet and talk with Bill. His passing is a terrible loss.I know that God will hold him in the palm of His hand.

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  24. Bill was always a geninue man. He was kind and truly interested in all the employees lives. It was a great pleasure working at WPS knowing he would come around each holiday and say hello. I will be praying for the Bathke family, for God's comfort in this very difficult time. My hope is that Bill had a relationship with the Lord, so that we can be assured of his resting at peace with God in heaven. Dee Darrow

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  25. I too was an employee of WPS and can say that I appreciated when bill came for his visits. Not only did he talk to the heads at wps but came by and spoke to and shook every employees hand and made a little bit of small talk along the way. It was nice to see that he could see the workers as people not just numbers in a place that size.

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  26. Bill always had time for his employees. Too bad supervisors and lower management never caught on. Bill encouraged employees to do their best whereas others did so through threats and being negative. WPS loss is more than just a man.

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  27. Bill was a great man! He was so positive and encouraging and will be missed by many. My thoughts and prayers go out to the Bathke family! I am a WPS employee. I looked forward to Bill's visits and he genuinely cared about the employees at the company. He made me feel like my job mattered and no one will be able to replace him!! RIP Bill!!

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  28. There are many here at WPS still deeply saddened by the loss of Bill. As so many have already said, he was a truly rare person, and we miss him very much. But we will honor his memory by striving to live by his example, and generous spirit. My sympathy to the entire Bathke family. May your fond memories bring you comfort.

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  29. I will miss Bill Bathke. I will miss him a lot. May his family be comforted in their time of grief. We at WPS will remember him as a great human being, a great businessman, and someone that left us way, way, too soon.

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  30. I am nobody but Bill made me feel like somebody truely important and gave me the confidence to take the extra challenges in life. That annual, personalized Christmas card reminding me of Bill and the extreme power he had, without even trying, to uplift life around him in everyone and everywhere Bill went, will be missed. The world is a better place because of Bill and Heaven has gained a beautiful Angel!

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