William J. Sneeringer, Jr.

William Joseph Sneeringer, Jr.

January 13, 1933 – March 12, 2023

William Joseph Sneeringer Jr. (Bill) was born in Baltimore, MD on January 13, 1933, to William Joseph Sneeringer and Mary Barbara Sneeringer (nee) Stromberg. He lived in the Irvington neighborhood and was one of the first infants baptized at the then new St. Joseph’s Monastery Church.

After completing elementary school at the St. Joseph’s Monastery School, Bill attended Mount St. Joseph’s high school and attributed much of his success in life to the education he received from the devoted Xaverian brothers who taught there. He attended Loyola University of Baltimore, graduating with a bachelor’s degree in business in 1954.

Bill enlisted in the Coast Guard, serving in the Reserves while still a student and two years of active service after graduation. He was assigned to the Mendota, a cutter that patrolled the North Atlantic between Greenland and Scotland monitoring weather and providing air/sea rescue.

Returning to his hometown after his service, Bill launched his professional career in the telecommunications industry joining the management team for Bell Atlantic. He had a diverse career that took him to locations across the state of Maryland. Shortly before his early retirement from Verizon, Bill met Jane and they were married in June 1986 in their Catonsville home on Montrose Ave.

In retirement, Bill explored many new interests including several business ventures. He briefly formed a building and remodeling business with a friend. From there he moved into buying and selling antiques, which became his passion. As another side interest, he took stained glass classes and produced many beautiful pieces.

Bill always maintained an active lifestyle and enjoyed tennis, handball, distance running, golf, sailing, windsurfing, and swimming. Cycling with Jane and friends became a major passion which he enjoyed until nearly the end of his life. His greatest cycling adventure was a group bicycle ride across Cuba with friends.

Bill and Jane traveled extensively, hiking in France and Italy, touring the U.S. and Europe, and cruising rivers and seas in Germany, Russia, Bermuda, the Caribbean islands, the Alaskan Inner Passage, the north coast of Norway to the northernmost point of Europe, the Mediterranean, and to ports in South and Central America. 

Bill had a great love of music, particularly opera. He and Jane attended opera performances, whenever possible. It was not unusual for him to take his CD player to his shed and listen to opera as he worked outside. They also enjoyed attending BSO concerts and theater at Center Stage and Everyman. 

Bill served for a time on the Republican Central Committee of Maryland, and as a Board Member of the Catonsville Historical Society. He became concerned with speeding cars on neighborhood streets and attended county planning meetings to lobby for more traffic calming in Catonsville. Bill crusaded for his cause by stenciling ‘SPEED KILLS’ on neighborhood streets. 

Bill was a faithful church attendee. He participated in volunteer missions and projects throughout his life. Bill also spent many early morning hours sitting on his porch or patio meditating and praying while he watched stars, the night animals, and the sunrise. 

It has often been said that Bill ‘never met a stranger,’ and he had many friends from all parts of his life. Bill enjoyed talking to people wherever he went and tried to bring out the best in those he met. He truly enjoyed people of all ages and backgrounds, with his greatest love and source of pride being his family. Bill could regularly be heard sharing things about their lives and accomplishments with anyone he met, and nothing made him happier than a call, visit, or time spent with his family. 

In the fall of 2022 Bill was diagnosed with a glioblastoma brain tumor. He entered hospice in January of 2023, and died from complications resulting from a fall. Bill is survived by his wife Jane, former wife Elaine, and children Karen Frank (husband Dennis), and Lynne Sneeringer, step-children Sarah Canter (dear friend James Duncan), Marielle Canter Weikel (husband Ethan), grandchildren Gavin Frank (wife Ally Finnell Frank), Allie Frank Langdon (husband Joe), Kyle Murrow, Andrew Murrow, Raleigh Sneeringer, Allana Weikel, Carolina Weikel, and Liam Weikel, great-grandchildren Dylan Frank, Tyler Frank, Sasha Frank, and Luke Langdon, and many nieces and nephews. He was predeceased by daughter Beth Ann Murrow and son William J Sneeringer III, and brothers Michael Edward Sneeringer and Richard Cyril Sneeringer. 

Donations in Bill’s memory may be made to:

Steps of Hope Guatemala https://www.stepsofhopeguatemala.org/

or Gilchrist Hospice https://gilchristcares.org/

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