William L. Smith, II

William L. Smith, II, “Bill”, of West Chester, PA, passed away on November 24, 2022.

Born in Philadelphia, PA in 1949, he was the son of the late William L., I and Eleanor (nee Woollam) Smith.

Bill was employed by Wilmington University. He served the university for over 28 years. Bill earned his Master’s in Library Science from Drexel University and his Bachelor’s degree from West Chester University. Bill was originally hired as a temporary librarian charged with cataloging a collection of books purchased by the university from the recently closed Cushing College in Massachusetts. This work eventually resulted in Bill’s recognition as Librarian of the Year by the Delaware Library Association. Bill eventually took on the role of Librarian for Public Services. In this role, Bill delicately handled challenging situations regarding overdue books, fines and lost materials. Inevitably these transactions resulted in a satisfied student as they departed the library. Bill embodied the culture of Wilmington University regarding student services, as he always put the students at the center of the library. His relationship with students was that of mentor, cheerleader, teacher, and dedicated listener. He touched the lives of hundreds of students in his time at WilmU. He was a loyal fan of the Wilmington University men’s and women’s basketball teams. His name is mentioned in many dissertations for the assistance he provided.

Bill was a dedicated colleague and member of the Wilmington University faculty. He was promoted to Associate Professor in 2014 and served or chaired numerous faculty senate committees including: Instructional Resource Committee, Academic Policy, Curriculum, and most recently Ad Hoc Writing Consortium. Through good times and bad, Bill was always there to listen and offer advice or a kind word.

Bill maintained a hilarious sense of humor about everything, which helped lighten the mood for everyone on staff. He took the time to connect with everyone whether it be about shared favorite music (especially ABBA), musicals (Mamma Mia), TV shows (Star Trek), or sports teams (Women’s UConn basketball), and his compassion for animals. He had an uncanny ability to recall thousands of sport events/statistics from memory. Over the years, Bill was a special mentor to the Library work study students and even invited graduating students on an annual trip to a musical show. His loss will be felt throughout the Wilmington University community, as his friendly face, wise advice and quick wit was something sought out by many students and colleagues.

Bill was the beloved husband of the late Ann (nee Lindquist) Smith. He is survived by his brother-in-law, John Lindquist, and his cousin, Rita Pinketti

Services are private.