Obituary of William "Bill" Myers Wirt

Artist, retired engineer and industrial salesman William Myers Wirt (Bill) died on March 4, 2023 in Wilmington, NC at age 88, after a long illness. He was lovingly cared for at home by Doris Ann, his wife of 59 years, with the support of hospice until he was admitted to inpatient hospice where he passed away peacefully with family at his side. Bill was born to Victoria Sophia Myers and Erwin Wirt in Fremont, Ohio. The family moved to Clifton, New Jersey when he was a young boy. He served in the Navy as a corpsman. Bill was always an artist and found joy and beauty in all things, particularly landscapes, beachscapes, and bridges. He painted in oils and studied painting techniques from the age of eight. After moving to Wilmington NC and continuing to paint he donated paintings to the Wilmington Canine Unit, a restaurant in historic downtown Wilmington, NC, and a beautiful country church he discovered in his travels, to name a few. He also taught sketching and painting in Talladega, Al. and several other communities.  Bill was an explorer and always loved learning new things. Many family Sunday afternoons were spent in art museums, at art shows, festivals, as well as places of historical significance. He read voraciously the history of Wilmington’s local pirates and shipwrecks and spent hours exploring, boating, and fishing with family and friends, particularly with his son and co-captain Matthias. Bill had a love of animals and found the beauty and habits of birds fascinating. His household never lacked animals: dogs, a raccoon, a skunk, rabbits, chicks, a beloved goat, and his latest Main Coon Cat, Pogo. In the evening, he and Doris Ann watched the birds, especially hummingbirds, which he often photographed and sent to his children. Bill worked for many corporations over 55 years of his career, Playtex, Dupont, IBM and in Talladega,Al. Soderhamn/Kockum Industries. He worked for Salem Corporation, an Oregon-based lumber company his last 30 years, retiring shortly after his 75th birthday. His work consisted primarily in designing industrial machines,the layout of machinery in sawmills and lumberyards all across the United States.  He traveled for work and loved to drive, regaling his children with pictures and stories of things he found while traveling the US. Bill never missed a roadside historical marker and frequently stopped to assist those in need. Bill is pre-deceased by his parents and siblings; Kathleen Wirt Grosiak, Norma Jean Wirt Rowan, and Gerald Wirt and his niece, Susie Grosiak Dickey. He is survived by his wife Doris Ann; his children, Alicia Wirt Rogers (Phillip) of Birmingham, AL; Vicki Lynn Wirt Hultzapple, (Mark) of Chambersburg, PA; Lisa Renee Hepfer (Phil) of Chambersburg, PA and son Matthias William Wirt  (Jennifer Gore) in Wilmington, North Carolina; nine grandchildren; and ten great grandchildren. At Bill‘s request, there will be no service held and he will be interred at Calgary Catholic Cemetery, Clifton/Paterson, New Jersey in the Wirt family plot. He will be greatly missed. Donations may be made in his honor to the non-profit organization Lower Cape Fear Hospice Life Care Hospice, 1414 Physicians Dr. Wilmington, NC. 28401. or online, www.lifecare.org.