William H Herold, M.D.

William H. Herold, M.D.
January 17, 1943 - October 20, 2023
Remember: “You’re only dancin’ on this earth for a short while” - Cat Stevens.
Born January 17 (Ben Franklin, Muhammad Ali, and me!), 1943, in St. Louis. He was adopted by a wonderful young doctor finishing his training, and his wife, (Mom!) Moving to Colorado Springs, he enjoyed a marvelous childhood with activities involving the Y.M.C.A., church, Cub and Boy Scouts, earning his Dad’s ‘Eagle with Palm Merit Badge’,  – achieving highest honors in all endeavors.
Later in life, at the ripe age of 14, he visited the World Fair in Brussels alone, a character-building experience, to say the least. This was followed by a motorbike tour of southern Germany, and Austria, with a real “wild mouse” ride over the Grossglockner pass - Europe's highest.
Following this, he attended New Mexico Military Institute in Roswell, N.M.(the MotherShip), where he briefly played football (giving him a new shoulder a few years ago!) - he stopped in order to play in the band - thus missing out on taking a hand-off from Roger Staubuch- the redshirt Q.B. Oh well, - he still got to wake him up as commander of the Drum and Bugle Corps.
In his junior year, Bill lived in a small village above Innsbruck, Austria called Axams where he went to school. Yes, there was skiing - a lot of it!
His love of skiing led his Dad to become a partner in the development of a little place in Colorado, in the middle of nowhere, called “Vail” - at the time, a flat spot in the road, and not too promising, but, it came with a ‘Life-Time Pass’!
After high school, he attended Dartmouth College - a truly wonderful experience - not fully appreciated at the time! Did learn to fly a little Cessna 172 off the then grass airstrip at the Air Force Academy one summer.
Professional education included medical school at the University of Colorado, with a 6 month hiatus at the Pathology Institute in Vienna, residencies in Pathology at U.C. San Diego., and U. of British Columbia - notable for, respectively, oceanfront living in La Jolla, an appreciation for old world civility in Vienna, and meeting his lovely wife, the most gracious person in the world, and love of his life, Sylvia, at U.B.C.
Following “training”, he arrived in Oakland Ca., and served as director of Pathology at Oakland Children’s Hospital for 10 years. His son Alexander, was born in the last year there.
At that time, he saw that sherpa Tenzing Norgay, Hillary’s cohort, would be taking his last trek to the base of Mt. Everest. He was always Bill’s boyhood idol, so Bill signed up as trek doctor with 8 people in his care, plus sherpas and yaks. It was something he’d never forget and an experience that can’t be measured.
Harvard offered him a year-long fellowship at Boston Childrens, following which he took a position at the I.W.K. Children’s hospital in Halifax, Nova Scotia. That lasted 2 years, until the wonders of Canadian medicine wore off.
Seeking employment, a notice from Akron Children’s popped up announcing an available position - Akron! Who knew that this “little” town would provide such pleasure and satisfaction, both personally, and professionally, for the remainder of his life!
The family has lived in Akron for about 31 years, and it has been a wonderful experience - the people, the fun times, have “topped off” an already full life!
All in all, It was a pretty good Dance! Thanks for the adventure, Dad, Thanks, Mom, for trying to make me a gentleman, and Thanks Sylvia and Alex for fulfilling my family. Love, ALL!!, Bill

There are no services scheduled at this time.

Services in care of The Billow Funeral Homes & Crematory, Fairlawn Chapel  85 N. Miller Road  Akron, OH  44333.