William Edward Held

June 12, 1957 — July 28, 2019

William "Bill" Held, of Marietta, Ohio, passed away in his home on Sunday, July 28, after a valiant and inspirational battle with cancer. He was 62-years-old. Throughout his life, he was known to make a positive impact on everyone he met. Born and raised in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, Bill was involved in high school and university theatre, the Boy Scouts of America where he achieved the rank of Eagle Scout, and began his well-known love affair with ballroom dancing in his junior year of high school.

He graduated from the University of Wisconsin-Madison where he received a degree in Mechanical Engineering and moved to the Mid-Ohio Valley in 1981 to work for Dupont Washington Works, where he remained for 24 years. After retiring from Dupont, Bill worked for Pickering Associates and then joined CFI Engineering Company, where he worked until his death. Bill was a true renaissance man and enjoyed keeping busy by applying his numerous skills to a variety of occupations. Professionally, his life was devoted to engineering, but he enjoyed many hobbies and pursued a variety of interests throughout his life.

In the Mid-Ohio Valley, Bill was perhaps best known for creating a thriving ballroom dancing scene. He taught hundreds of students in Parkersburg and Marietta and participated in dance clubs throughout the region. In his personal life, Bill was a devoted husband, father, and advocate for cats everywhere (especially black ones!), and when he wasn't working, he pursued his passion for collecting model railroad trains.
Bill is survived by his wife, Susan Montera, daughters Aurora Held-Dodd (Elliot) and Kitri Held, and grandson Alden Dodd, all of Marietta, Ohio; his parents, Oscar William Held and Joan Shrader Held, brother Tom Held (Sue) and sister Carolyn Held, all of Milwaukee, Wisconsin.

Visitations and a service will be held in Marietta, Ohio at Cawley & Peoples Funeral Home, 408 Front Street. Visitations will be Thursday, August 8, 2-4 p.m. and 6-8 p.m. as well as Friday, August 9, 10-11 a.m. A celebration of life will be held Friday, August 9 at 11 a.m. The family welcomes any photographs or mementos of Bill that the community would like to give to the family and welcomes framed photographs at the funeral home.

In lieu of flowers, donations in honor of Bill may be made to the Strecker Cancer Center at Marietta Memorial Hospital.

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William Edward Held

June 12, 1957 — July 28, 2019

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