William Fay
William “Bill” Fay, 87, Plymouth, died June 20, 2016, at Trillium Woods Health Center in Plymouth due to complications from heart and lung disease.
A funeral will be Friday, Aug. 12, 2016, at St. Joseph Parish Center in New Hope. Interment of ashes will follow at Gethsemane Cemetery in New Hope.
Bill Fay was born Jan. 7, 1929, to Hubert L. and Gladys (Durocher) Fay in Luverne. Bill is a 1947 graduate of Luverne High School. He began his pre-engineering studies at the University of St. Thomas but eventually transferred to the University of Minnesota where he received his Bachelor of Architecture in 1953.
Bill enlisted in the U.S. Army after graduation, joined the Finance Corps and was stationed in Frankfurt, Germany. Upon his return to the U.S., Bill began his architectural career in Minneapolis with the firm Thorshov & Cerny (1955-60), followed by Thorsen & Thorshov (1960-1987) and finally with Hammel, Green & Abrahamson (1987-98) where, during its 3-year construction, Bill was a lead onsite architect for the Mall of America. He retired in 1998 after being a registered architect and member of the American Institute of Architecture for 45 years. Bill was a lifelong member of the Phi Delta Theta Fraternity.
Bill married JoAnn Kennedy on Dec. 29, 1956, at St Catherine’s Catholic Church in Luverne. In 1959 Bill and JoAnn moved into their first home in Minnetonka. By 1973 the family had outgrown the home and moved to Plymouth where he resided until 2015.
Bill had a passion for fishing, and all Fay family summer vacations involved fishing and camping in Minnesota and Canada. He and JoAnn loved to golf, and in their retirement enjoyed travel to Europe, Mexico, Hawaii and Florida. Bill was meticulous with his yard and home.
Bill is survived by his children, Terri (Tom) Cohn, Maple Grove, Steve (Cathy) Fay, Roselle, Illinois, Mary Fay, Rochester, John (Ruth) Fay, Maple Plain; eight grandchildren, Angela (Jake), David (Heather), Sarah, Benjamin, Geoffrey, Daniel, Rebecca, Rachel and Abigail; four great-grandchildren, Dylan, Nora, Evan and Caden; a brother, Tom (Sharron) Fay, Lake Mills, Wisconsin; and a sister-in-law, Marlee (Kennedy) Kenney, Redwood Falls;
He was preceded in death by his wife, JoAnn; his parents; his parents-in-law, Leo and Laura (Appel) Kennedy; a brother-in-law, Robert Kenney; and a nephew, Michael Fay.
Arrangements were by Washburn-McReavy Glen Haven Funeral Chapel, Crystal, www.Washburn-McReavy.com.
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