William M. “Bill” Whitehill, 81, of Knox, a well-known former Emlenton resident and retired bank officer, entered heaven’s gates early Monday morning, March 22, 2021 at his home while in the company of his loving wife and grandson.

William was born on November 6, 1939 in Hilliards.  He was the son of the late John G. and Agnes Vorous Whitehill.

Bill was a 1957 graduate of Emlenton High School and attended Oil City Business School.  He began his banking career in July of 1958 in Emlenton as a bookkeeper and teller at Northwest Bank and Trust Co.  He was transferred to Oil City in 1966 and in 1971 Bill was promoted to computer operations officer.  He retired in 1988 as the senior vice president of operations from what was then Mellon Bank.  Bill was very active in the Emlenton area community and served as treasurer for various community groups.  In his earlier years, he was treasurer for the Emlenton Fire Dept. and the department’s horse show.  He later served as Emlenton Borough Secretary and on the board of directors of the Emlenton Medical Center.  Bill was active in organizing the Emlenton Alumni Association. He was a long time active member of Old Zion United Methodist Church and had served the church as treasurer for more than 50 years, a Sunday School superintendent and teacher, and was the treasurer for the Emlenton Methodist Ministry. Following Bill’s retirement in 1988 he owned and operated Whitehill Accounting through 2019 where Bill’s advice and counsel was well-respected among his many clients.

In his earlier years, Bill enjoyed bodywork, painting cars and managing little league.  He also enjoyed camping, photography and spending time with his family.  Bill was a skilled carpenter and built his wife a beautiful kitchen for their home.

Bill is survived by his wife, Sally Slye Whitehill, whom he married in the Van United Methodist Church on August 16, 1959.  Also surviving is a daughter, Cammy Shreffler and her husband, Jeff, of Cranberry; a son, Eric Whitehill and his wife, Kim, of Seneca; three grandchildren, Stacie Shreffler and Samantha Evans and her husband, Brian, all of Cranberry, and Ben Whitehill of Seneca; two great grandchildren, Dylan and Rylan Evans; a brother, Robert “Bob” Whitehill and his wife, Connie, of Sharon; his sisters-in-law and brothers-in-law, Betty and Jim Irwin of Mentor Haven, FL, Shirley Prokuski of Cleveland, OH, L. Tom and Patricia Slye of St. Mary’s, Ed and Carol Slye of Oil City, and Kim and Phyllis Slye of Cranberry, as well as a number of nieces, nephews, and cousins.

In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by his sister, Betty Beebe Emahizer; his father-in-law and mother-in-law, Tom and Dot Slye; and four brothers-in-law, Paul Beebe, Ernest Emahizer, Ted Slye, and Vince Prokuski.

Friends will be received at the Hile Funeral Home Inc., 1204 Kerr Ave., Emlenton from 4 – 7 p.m. Wednesday (Covid 19 protocols).   A funeral service will be held at 11:00 a.m. Thursday from Old Zion Methodist Church, West Home Rd., Emlenton, with the Rev. Gene Lenk, former church pastor, officiating (there will be no viewing at church).  Interment will follow in Zion Union Cemetery, Richland Twp., Venango Co.  Memorial contributions may be made to the American Cancer Society at cancer.org.  Condolences may be sent by visiting www.hilefh.com.