Sayre, William Buxton (Died)

Sayre, William Buxton Bill Sayre, 86, of Arlington Heights, formerly of Park Ridge, Illinois died April 11, 2011. Services will be held April 18, 2011 at 10:00 AM at the Southminster Presbyterian Church, 916 E. Central Road, Arlington Heights, Illinois 60005. Bill was born August 7, 1924 in New Virginia, Iowa to Raymond and Ruth Buxton Sayre. He grew up on a farm in Southern Iowa near Indianola and after high school graduation, chose to serve his country by enlisting in the U.S. Marine Corps. He was assigned to the C-Battery, 9th Artillery Battalion, 3rd Amphibious Corps and stationed at Guadalcanal in 1944. He continued to serve in the Pacific Theater through the battles on Okinawa where he was a Forward Observer and one of the first Marines to hit the beach. After WWII, he returned to Iowa State University where he graduated with the highest honors and a degree in Economics. In college, Bill was united in marriage to Ruthann Hermanson, also from Iowa. After graduating in 1947, they returned to Ackworth, Iowa where he managed his family farm in addition to several other farms, providing farm management, consultation and appraisal services. While in Iowa, Bill was chosen Vice President of the Iowa Pork Producers and was a member of The National Pork Producers Board for several decades. Additionally, Bill was an active Republican, Delegate to the National Convention, and Campaign Manager for a successful gubernatorial candidate. In 1964, Bill accepted an offer from Continental Bank of Chicago to join their Agricultural staff and was in charge of the Farm and Ranch property held in their Trust Department. Later, he was promoted to Vice President and named the Senior Officer for all property held in trusts and estates and continued in this position until taking early retirement in 1984. Continental Bank had offices in London and Geneva and Bill developed a program in which high net worth Western Europeans could establish trusts that invested in U.S. real estate developing and servicing. This business involved several trips each year to London and many European countries and Ruthann accompanied Bill on many of these. Living in Chicago, Bill was active in the Wilmette Trinity Methodist church and was trustee and chairman of the property committee for many years. He and two others also organized the Chicago Cook County 4-H Foundation, which served 30,000 school age children. In 1986, Bill resigned as President and he and Ruthann moved to Palm Springs with plans to retire. In California, Bill's intent to retire failed, however, as former customers at Continental Bank and new customers in California and Japan requested his property management expertise. This activity continued for over ten years until Bill and Ruthann decided to "officially" retire in Park Ridge, Illinois in 1998. One of the most interesting consulting assignments occurred when the U.S. Department of Agriculture requested Bill to serve as a consultant to the Yeltsin Government in Russia, advising them on the privatization of agriculture. This involved several trips to Moscow starting in 1988. Meetings were held in the Russian White House with the Prime Minister and the Minister for Privatization. Throughout Bill's career, he was actively involved with the national office of the Alpha Gamma Rho (AGR) fraternity and served as a long term board member and National Grand President for two terms. He also was actively engaged in several other organizations including: American Society of Agricultural Consultants, Farm Foundation, Chicago Farmers and the Union League Club of Chicago. His sisters, Alice Sayre and Helen Coolidge, preceded Bill Sayre in death. He is survived by his wife, Ruthann; brother, John and children Bill of Bristol, Vermont; Ann of Skokie, Illinois; Mary of Park Ridge, Illinois; and Elizabeth of Chicago; and six grandchildren and one great grandchild.