William Edwin Jewell
William "Bill" Edwin Jewell, 80, of Baltimore, passed away Friday, May 19th with his family by his side from advanced lung cancer at Gilchrist Hospice Center in Towson, Maryland. William was born in Oakland, CA, where his family lived before settling in Ridgewood, NJ, and ultimately relocating to Dhahran, Saudi Arabia, where his father was employed as an executive with Aramco. As a teenager, William matriculated from the Notre Dame School for Boys in Rome, Italy, to attend Santa Clara University in California, before leaving school to serve in the United States Air Force. He married Linda Bender (Tom Lavin) in 1966, a marriage that produced two daughters, Mary Jewell of South Mountain, PA, and Carolyn Jewell (Brad Cardwell) of Baltimore, MD. He was later remarried to Veronique Demonchaux, and lived in Westminster, Maryland, Raleigh, North Carolina, and Kalamazoo, Michigan, along with step-daughter Eleonore Derieux. He remained close with both former spouses and eventually moved to Baltimore, MD, to be closer to his daughters.
William held a long career in electrical and mechanical manufacturing and automation controls, which took him all over the world. In later life, he became an ordained minister and enjoyed officiating many marriages and religious services. He served as a hospice volunteer and also went with the American Red Cross as a volunteer to help lead logistical support for victims of Hurricane Katrina in New Orleans, LA. William was an avid outdoorsman and loved being anywhere in nature. He was a true animal lover, particularly his longtime dog Gizmo, though his true passion was for herpetology and the search for snakes and other reptiles and amphibians. William stayed active in volunteering, participating in Al-Anon and AA groups, reading, and spending time with his many friends and family.
William is preceded in death by his parents, Edyth Cusick Jewell and William Kelly Jewell. He is survived by the family listed above, as well as sisters Kay Julian (Jack) of Upper Saddle River, NJ, and Claire Kolff (Albert), of Kennebunk, ME, grandchildren Mitchell Pyper of Pewaukee, WI, Jimi Pyper (Brianna Blair) of Waynesboro, PA, and Camilla Cardwell of Baltimore, MD, great-granddaughter Ameila Rose Pyper of Waynesboro, PA, and his nieces and nephews.
William's life will be celebrated in a private memorial with family and friends. In lieu of flowers, the family asks that gifts be made in his name to the Maryland SPCA and any NPR member station.