William Lee Treece was born August 25, 1937. He was the only child of William Everett Treece and Helen Lee (nee Yokley) Treece. Bill attended Antioch Grade School, one of the many country schools in rural Saline County. Bill graduated from Sweet Springs High School in 1955. He married his high school sweetheart and wife of nearly 67 years, Marjorie M. Eckhoff, on May 26, 1956, at Immanuel Lutheran Church in Sweet Springs. Bill and Marjorie started married life at a small house northeast of Sweet Springs, while both worked in Marshall.
After high school, Bill entered the workforce working in the cutting room at the Marshall factory of International Shoe Company and worked his way by seniority to shoe upper cutting—the top job in the factory. Bill was elected Shop Steward then elected by the entire union membership to Financial Secretary. He was later elected as a delegate to the contract negotiations committee for several negotiations. Bill worked for the Marshall factory for 18½ years.
In 1973, Bill was selected by the Boot & Shoe Workers Union to be an international representative. Bill completed several labor education courses in time study, industrial engineering, pension benefits, contract negotiation, and arbitration at the University of Wisconsin-Madison and the George Meany Institute in Silver Springs, Maryland.
In 1979, the Boot & Shoe Workers Union merged with the Retail Clerks, Amalgamated Butcher Workers and Packing House Workers to form the United Food & Commercial Workers where Bill was eventually promoted to Assistant to the Director for packing, food processing, and manufacturing. During his employment, Bill serviced over 50 plants handling negotiations, grievances, arbitrations and special problems. One of the highlights of his career was being appointed to attend the International Conference of Footwear and Leather in Geneva, Switzerland as one of four delegates appointed from the United States.
Bill enjoyed his work and liked working with people, both company and employees. “I never held a grudge, always tried to do my job to the best of my ability, and looked at each problem as a challenge that I could settle.”
Bill retired in 1993 with 20 years of service. In his retirement, he was appointed to the Missouri Training & Employment Council by Gov. Mel Carnahan with confirmation by the Missouri Senate. Bill was reappointed by Gov. Bob Holden and served 10 years on the Council overseeing training and retraining of workers and creation of jobs in Missouri. In addition, Bill Treece was appointed to the Saline County Road Commission and served on the boards of the I-70 Hospital, the Antioch Cemetery, and the Sweet Springs Cemetery.
Bill enjoyed a weekly bible study in Concordia. Bill and Marjorie Treece have been members of Our Redeemer Lutheran Church since 1960 where he volunteered on the stewardship committee, property board, finance board, and board of lay ministry.
In 1995, Bill and Marjorie built a new home on the Treece family farm and moved within a half-mile of where they began their married life. Together they planted trees and flowers, built trails and timber frames, ponds and terraces for soil conservation as well as created habitat for quail and wildlife. He was proud to designate the original farm as a Missouri Century Farm in 2014.
Bill Treece is survived by his wife of nearly 67 years, Marjorie, and their three sons: Russell Treece and his wife Kathryn, Robert Treece and his wife Joann, and Brian Treece and his wife Mary, along with four grandchildren, Zachary Treece and wife Charisse, David Treece, Price Phillips, and Rachel Treece; and one great grandchild, John Eli Treece.
Funeral services will be held at 2:00 p.m. Thursday, March 9, 2023, at Our Redeemer Lutheran Church in Marshall with Pastor William Voelker officiating. Burial will follow at Fairview Cemetery in Sweet Springs. Visitation will be from 1:00 p.m. to 2:00 p.m. Thursday at the church. Memorials are suggested to the Antioch Cemetery or the construction fund for Bright Beginnings Pre-School of Our Redeemer Lutheran Church. An online guestbook is available at www.campbell-lewis.com.