William Ray Seibert, 74

December 18, 2014

Our hero is gone. William Ray Seibert, 74, of Lititz passed away peacefully at home on December 18, 2014 following a valiant 17 year battle with congestive heart failure and asthma. Billy was born in Clay Twp./Lititz on March 17, 1940, the son of the late Willy and Miriam Seibert. In September, Billy celebrated 46 years of an incredible marriage to Lydia Sanger Seibert.
Billy was a graduate of Warwick High School where he served as the inaugural president of the school’s FFA chapter. He served in the Signal Corps of the U.S. Army in Okinawa, Japan during the Vietnam conflict. Billy retired from the physical testing lab at Howmet/Alumax/Alcoa after 37 years. He lived a true Christian life reflecting Jesus’ unconditional love.
Billy was born and raised on a dairy farm and attended the one room Clay Schoolhouse where he had one teacher through 8th grade. Although he had severe asthma that physically limited him, when he was feeling strong he played “schitznickel” barn tag with his cousins. When spring came they would take walks in the field of blue bells, picking them for their grandma. After which they would often raid their grandma’s candy and cookie jars! He was a curious boy who would follow people around asking the “why” questions, always interested in how things worked.
Billy’s house is the house that built us.
The Bicentennial house became a home to many. Billy was dedicated to sharing whatever he had with others. The home became a safe haven for many people and pets. His craftsmanship added to the uniqueness of the house. He was an uncomplicated man who was selfless, easy going, very loving, and a gentle giant. Billy was a quiet crusader for children and women’s rights.
As a member of the Country Gardner’s of Eastern Lancaster County, he enjoyed landscaping, touring gardens and making stone trough containers. His joy in life was riding his mower and being one with his lawn…Simplicity. He was an avid reader, hunter and enjoyed listening to all types of music. Billy had a special love for Hollywood westerns and made sure to watch The Rifleman every Saturday morning. He was a sports fan who enjoyed everything from Little League to the WNBA to his Steelers.
He is survived by two sons, Shawn Seibert (Claudia Gantz), Scott Seibert and a daughter, Hope Arnold. Other immediate family include, Mary Sanger, Bethe Gettle (Erik Wolf), Dustin Gettle, Doug Jones, and Bill and Barbara Hazlett. Two grandsons, Ethan and Zachary Seibert, and his two beloved dogs, Samson and Mojo. He was preceded in death by John Sanger.
The Celebration of Billy’s life will be held in the spring when the grass is green and the daffodils are blooming. Memorial contributions can be made to RAINN www.rainn.org or Nowzad Dogs http://www.nowzad.org/. Billy will be missed for his distinctive laugh, that sparkle in his eye and wonderful sense of humor.