William Liddell (Bill) Smith III, 72, of Altoona, WI, passed away on May 1, 2023. He was born August 6, 1950 to Margaret M Smith (nee Millar) and William L Smith II in Niagara Falls, New York. He earned a Bachelor of Music (Theory) in 1972 from the University of Michigan - Ann Arbor. He was conferred a Master of Divinity in 1976 from Luther Theological Seminary in St. Paul, MN, and a PhD of Musicology in 1985 from the University of Minnesota. He did additional study at Oxford, Pope Pius XII Microfilm Library, the Pontifical Institute of Medieval Studies, the Hill Monastic Manuscript Library, St. Johns, University of Wisconsin, and Niagara University. He studied liturgiology with Aelred Tegels, O.S. B.

Bill belonged to a number of professional societies including: Pi Kappa Lambda, the American Musicology Society, the Canadian Liturgical Society, the Choristers’ Guild, the American Guild of Handbell Ringers, the American Guild of Organists, and the American Academy of Liturgy. He was the founder and conductor of the Torah Union Choir, a graduate representative to the Religious Studies Program Executive Committee (1976-79), and a member of the Gregorian Singers in Minneapolis. Bill served as a recitalist, conductor, and lecturer at numerous workshops and conventions concerning liturgiology and church music. He published several articles.

Bill served as an ordained pastor of the American Lutheran Church at Immanuel Lutheran in Glenwood City, WI. He held various positions in music beginning in 1970 when he was the youngest person to conduct the University Choirs, as Assistant to the Director of the University Choirs of the University of Michigan. He was also the Assistant to the Conductor of the Choral Union of the University Musical Society in Ann Arbor, MI; Seminary Organist at Luther Theological Seminary; Director of Music at St. James Lutheran in Burnsville, MN; Minister of Music at Immanuel Lutheran Church in St. Paul, MN

After his Ph.D. studies at the University of Minnesota, he joined the staff of the Office of the Secretary of The American Lutheran Church in Minneapolis in June 1986 when Kathryn Baerwald was ALC General Secretary. Then in late 1987, upon formation of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, he moved to Chicago to serve in the Office of the Secretary, compiling the voluminous minutes of the Churchwide Assemblies as well as the minutes of the Church Council and Conference of Bishops.

Bill moved to Eau Claire to build Heatherwood LLC, a senior adult apartment community, which opened in May 2003. Heatherwood was expanded to include a memory care unit in 2016. Bill retired when Heatherwood was sold in 2018. Bill served as the organist at First Lutheran Church during the construction of Heatherwood.

Bill was well known for his intellect, generosity, and warm sense of humor. He had a great passion for music and was a very active philanthropist of the Eau Claire Chamber Orchestra and Pablo Center at the Confluence. He was a lover of art, collecting many original works, which he proudly displayed in his home.

Bill never married but found family in his close friends with whom he loved visiting, sharing good meals, attending concerts, and traveling the world. He was preceded in death by his parents.

A memorial service celebrating the life of Bill Smith will be held on Saturday, June 10, at Christ Church Cathedral in Eau Claire, WI, 510 South Farwell Street, with a visitation at 11:30 am, service at 12:30 pm, and luncheon following.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be directed to Christ Church Cathedral or the Eau Claire Chamber Orchestra.

Chippewa Valley Cremation Services – Celebration of Life Center is assisting the family with arrangements.