William John “Bill” Osterhoudt

William John Osterhoudt, 81, of Sun Lakes (Az.) very sadly passed from life, after a long and trying struggle with COPD, at the Chandler (Az.) Regional Medical Center in the early evening of Friday, July 4, 2025. He was born, the second of his parents’ four children, at home in Hackensack, New Jersey to Rita Elizabeth Wilmarth Osterhoudt and Clarence Burns Osterhoudt on July 11, 1943 and he spent his early life mainly in Scranton and State College, Pennsylvania.

 As a young man, Bill came to a great affection for (and a notable competency in) rock-and-roll music, jitterbug dancing, recreational roller skating, and serious sport (most significantly, baseball). Although he did not attend the Pennsylvania State University, he came to admire it very deeply and to develop an especially keen allegiance to it, most particularly to its luminous sporting aspects. He graduated from State College High School in 1961 and served honorably in the U. S. Army for three years (1961-1964).

 In his adult years, Bill made a large success of himself in business, principally in entrepreneurial projects. He was especially adept at identifying unfilled spaces in the marketplace and filling those spaces with fertile commercial opportunities. He was nonetheless a restless soul and did sundry forms of work throughout his life; he was not content doing much of anything in particular, with anyone in particular, or living anywhere in particular for longer than brief times. Variously, in Pennsylvania, New Jersey, New York, Georgia, Massachusetts, Florida, Arizona, Washington, D. C., Texas, Oklahoma, and Ohio, he sold printing supplies and services, automobiles, radio advertising, and banking products; he founded and managed a night club, a communications firm, a wig shop, an automobile repair garage, a ground-delivery service, a small real-estate agency, and a large over-the-road trucking company (with 60 semi-trucks); he served with distinction as the Executive Vice-president for Marketing with a prominent air-courier firm and was the Freight Manager of a substantial logistics corporation. Bill retired to Florida, New Mexico, and Arizona in 2001; he became an apt golfer; and he worked frequently as a certified official of baseball, softball, football, and wrestling competitions.

 Throughout his life, Bill left his characteristically irascible, bright, irreverent, assertive, and irrepressible mark on every environment he inhabited. He was uncommonly well-esteemed by his siblings, nieces, and nephews; was an implacable opponent of his business rivals; and will be profoundly and tangibly missed by his family and friends. Television broadcasts of Penn State football matches most especially will not be nearly so compelling without Billy’s/Uncle Lumpy’s incisive commentary. He is survived by his significant other, Cheryl Mawhinney; son, Richard Fultz (Jen); granddaughter, Taylor-Ann Fultz (Kody); grandson, Grant Fultz (Caitlyn); great-grandchildren, Sydni Stein and Karsyn Stein; sister, Nancy True (Ed); brothers, Gary Osterhoudt (Sarah) and Bob Osterhoudt; nieces, Nicole Osterhoudt, Tammy Barkley (Jim), Randi Coyle (Jon), and Jenny Swihart (Rob); and nephews, Kris Osterhoudt (Paula) and Kirk Osterhoudt (Leah).

A memorial service honoring Bill will be held at  Clarendale of Chandler, 5900 S. Gilbert Rd., Chandler, Az. 85249 (tel., 480-418-0579) on Saturday, October 11, 10:00 A. M. All are welcome.

Arrangements by Bunker’s Garden Chapel, www.bunkerfuneral.com. Should this obituary appear anywhere but bunkerfuneral.com, please check our website for accurate details and service information.