William E. August

Bill August, aged 95, passed away peacefully on Sunday evening, July 16, 2017, in the company of his wife, at the Douglas T. Jacobson State Veterans Nursing Home in Port Charlotte, Florida. He is survived by his wife of 46 years, Michele; his son, Rory August (Michelle); daughters Shoshana August (Pat Inglesby), Dara Sorah (Brady), And Zoe Ryan (Aaron); nine grandchildren: Kateri, Molly, Nick, Logan, Emma, Patrick, Connor, Micayla and Jaden. Bill was born in Brooklyn, NY, to Clarice and Allen August. He graduated from Erasmus High School, and then worked as a bellboy in Miami hotels until his enlistment in the Army Air Corps in 1942. He served as an Aerial Gunner during WWII in Normandy, North Apennines, Northern France, PO Valley, Rhineland, until his discharge in 1944. He used the GI Bill to earn his degree in Textile Engineering from the Philadelphia Textile Institute. He worked in textile design, shirt manufacturing in North Carolina, and sales throughout the midwest, northeast and southern states until the late 60s. He moved to Chicago and changed career paths, first as a bartender at the Barbarosa, where he met Michele. They married in April 1971, moved to Fredericksted, St. Croix where they owned and operated a general store, managed the newspaper franchise for the Island, and ran a popular luncheonette. Cooking was always Bill's passion. Later, he managed a hotel at Zetland Plantation, Nevis, WI, where he also served as Chef. On their return to the states, they settled in Pinellas Park and St. Petersburg, where Bill cooked for various establishments until his retirement.