William M. “Bill” Robishaw, 90, of Port Charlotte, Florida, formerly of Westlake, Ohio, passed away Friday, March 9, 2012 at Fawcett Memorial Hospital in Port Charlotte.

Bill was born August 25, 1921 in Cleveland, Ohio. Growing up in Cleveland and its suburbs, he graduated from Dover High School in Westlake in 1939. During World War II he served in the Army Air Corps for three years, assigned to a base in Italy. Taking advantage of the G.I. Bill, he attended Baldwin Wallace College in Berea, receiving a bachelor degree in Elementary Education in 1950. He taught in rural Ohio schools four years, prior to returning to Westlake Schools, where he taught seven years before being named Elementary Principal, first nine years at Holly Lane, then twelve years at Bassett, retiring in June of 1982.

Bill served as President of the Westlake Historical Society for fourteen years, in 1981 editing and overseeing the publishing of “A History and Civics of Dover Village”, from a manuscript written in 1930 by a Dover High teacher. In 1993 the Westlake Historical Society published his book, “You’ve Come a Long Way, Westlake…”, which was a sequel to the earlier “History…” He was Chairman of the Suburban West Opportunity School in Westlake, for children and youth with disabilities, during the late 1960’s. Bill is a Past Master of the Dover Masonic Lodge; and a past Patron of the Order of Eastern Star. In 1967, Bill and his wife Jean were named Mr. and Mrs. Westlake.

Following his retirement, Bill and Jean moved to Port Charlotte, Florida in 1984, joining the Port Charlotte United Methodist Church, where Bill was active in audio-visual and sound systems for fourteen years. He also volunteered in Charlotte County elementary Schools from 1985 to 2000. Bill was recognized in 2011 by the Mayor of Westlake who proclaimed October 22nd as “Bill Robishaw Day”.

He is survived by his three children; James (Iris) of Port Charlotte, FL, Gary (Linda) of Santa Clara, CA, and Donna Conlon of Rochester Hills, MI; five grandchildren Heather Kirk, Chris, Danny, Michael and Meghan Robishaw; and four great-grandchildren, Liam, Aiden and Kiley Kirk, and Maddison Robishaw. Bill was preceded in Death by his beloved wife of 67 years, Jean A. (nee – Cilimburg) Robishaw in 2010.

A Memorial service will be held 11:00 A.M., Friday, March 16, 2012 at Port Charlotte United Methodist Church. Further services will be held in Westlake, Ohio, at a later date.

Arrangements are by Roberson Funeral Homes & Crematory, Port Charlotte Chapel.