William "Bill" Lee Wiench

Singing at St. Joseph’s Chapel and with the Camerata Singers, fishing, mechanical repair, industrial

sewing -- these are what William Lee Wiench most enjoyed, especially when sharing his skills with young

people.

Bill Wiench died August 25 th in Pocatello following a long illness. Born in Battle Creek, Michigan on July

20, 1951, Bill gained a strong work ethic from his Polish dad and from his Irish mom -- a flair for song,

story, fun and a desire to lend a hand to the underdog.

Bill was the facility supervisor at Idaho State University’s Stephens Performing Arts Center until 2012.

When he retired, he moved from supervising work study students to becoming a friend and mentor to a

group of young, mostly fatherless young Pocatello men, who called themselves “The Squad”. Bill

encouraged those who had dropped out to finish high school, took them fishing, and taught them to fix

cars, boats, trucks and motorcycles. Many attended the masses and concerts where Bill sang. As Bill

became ill, these were the people who wheeled him into the hot springs at Lava, drove him to doctor

appointments, and who, along with Bill’s brother Patrick and nephew Ben, were at his bedside in his

final days.

Raised in Ann Arbor, Michigan, Bill moved with his family to Boise, Idaho in 1970 where he attended

Boise State University. He is survived by three siblings: Brother Anthony of Tracy, CA. and his daughters

Kathryn and Camilla, sister Donna and her husband, Michael Wills, Portland, OR, and their children

Benjamin and Kathleen, and brother Patrick and his wife Sally, Rogers, AR, parents of Alexander and

Nicholas. Never married and with no children, Bill was a surrogate uncle to his chosen family of young

Pocatello men, including Dante Demato, Nick, Ian, William, Richard, Frankie and Xavier.

A vigil will be held Friday, Nov. 4 at 6pm, with a funeral mass on Saturday, Nov. 5 at 10 am, both at St.

Joseph Chapel, Pocatello. Interment will follow at Mountain View Cemetery.