William "Will" J. Melody

William J. Melody, 78, passed away peacefully at his home in Whitewater, Wisconsin on June 22, 2025.

Will was born in Saranac Lake, New York on June 10, 1947 and remained a lifelong fan of the Saranac Lake region until his death. He spent his teen years in Minnesota, living in Richfield and Crystal Lake, and later, after completing high school, moved to Chicago where he graduated from Loyola University. Upon graduating from Loyola, Will married Katie Williams, and the couple settled in Evanston, Illinois.

Will turned his lifelong passion for cars into a career, running his own shops—British Motors and Melody Motors—before later moving into real estate with Wesley Realty Group, where he worked until his retirement. He enjoyed history, boating, reading, spending time with family, and working around the house.

Will is survived by his wife of 54 years, Katie; his son, William; his daughter, Sarah Zarling (Patrick); grandsons, Cooper and Emmett; brother Kevin of Charlotte, North Carolina; brother Joe (Dawn) of Randolph, New Jersey; and many nieces, nephews, and extended family. He was preceded in death by his parents, William J. and Agnes M. Melody.

Visitation will be held on Thursday, July 10th, from 10:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m., with a Memorial Mass immediately following at 11:00 a.m. Both will take place at St. Athanasius Church, 1615 Lincoln St., Evanston, IL 60201  

In lieu of flowers, the Melody family is requesting that memorial donations be made to Hope Hollow, a charitable organization that provides lodging, meals, transportation assistance and emotional support—at no cost—to cancer patients and their loved ones. Donations may be sent to: Hope Hollow P.O. Box 141423 Columbus, Ohio 43214 or made online at www.hopehollow.com/donate.