Huntley remembers former fire chief, mechanic

At a time when most men his age were drafted or enlisted, Bill Seiler stayed right at home in Huntley.

According to his son, Richard, the government decided Seiler, a mechanic in town for 35 years, could serve his country better on the home front.

"They told him that they would not draft him because of his mechanical ability," Richard Seiler said. "He was more important here at home."

From 1941 to 1976, Seiler, along with his wife and son, ran B & B Service - a gas station and repair shop that fixed everything from cars to milk trucks and tractors.

"He was a terrific mechanic," said Richard Seiler, who worked alongside his father for 10 years before taking over the shop for the next decade. "There was nothing that man couldn't fix."

Seiler was the only mechanic in town during the war, when Huntley had just a few hundred residents, Richard said. The passion he had for his work continued unabated until the day he died, Nov. 13, 2008.

Seiler was born in Huntley in 1917 and stayed there the rest of his life. In 1939, he married Alethea Wirsing and around that time became a volunteer firefighter.

In 1949, Seiler was named fired chief and served for the next decade. Those were the days before the independent fire protection district that would be created soon after Seiler retired from the department.

"They raised quite a lot of money in those days and were able to buy new equipment," Richard Seiler said.

Current Huntley firefighters did a walk-through and salute at Seiler's wake Monday at St. Mary Catholic Church, where Seiler was baptized, confirmed and married.

"The fire department was a big love of his," Richard Seiler said. "He was very proud of those days of service."

Seiler was also a charter member of the Huntley Lion's Club and 60-year member of the Loyal Order of Moose Lodge in Woodstock. His community involvement continued even after he lost his larynx to throat cancer in the early '80s.

"He was still very visible around town," Richard Seiler said. "He was quite a talker," using his mechanical voice box to communicate.

In his later years, Seiler enjoyed spending time with his children and his many grandchildren and great-grandchildren. He also spent much of his free time in the outdoors, fishing and camping.

"He was an avid fisherman," Richard Seiler said. "He fished every chance he got."

Seiler is survived by his wife, Alethea; his sons, Richard and Donald; his daughters, Linda Gray and Mary Diekman; and many grandchildren and great-grandchildren.

Seiler's burial Mass was celebrated Monday, with St. Mary's pastor, the Rev. Steve Knox, officiating.

Memorials can be made to the Huntley Fire Protection District.