MOUNT VERNON – William Mosholder, born in Mount Vernon on Nov. 23, 1924, age 96, died on March 11, 2021. He passed at his home in Palm Harbor, Florida, of natural causes, surrounded by family.
Bill grew up in Mount Vernon and attended Saint Vincent de Paul Catholic High School, where he was the last surviving member of the Saint Vincent Ohio Catholic Diocese High School State Champion basketball team. From there, he attended John Carrol on a basketball scholarship and enlisted in the U.S. Navy at the advice of his coach. After serving in the South Pacific in World War II, he completed his degree in business from Tulane University and his Juris Doctorate from The Ohio State University — which produced Ohio’s No. 1 Buckeye fan.
He married the love of his life, Patricia, in 1952. Bill and Pat raised five children and were foster parents to more than 30 kids awaiting placement to loving parents.
Bill was a practicing attorney for more than 25 years in Mount Vernon. He was then elected twice to serve as Knox County juvenile/probate judge, dubbing him forever after as “The Judge.”
Although he practiced law and dispensed justice with razor-sharp precision, he was well known for his engineering prowess, where he gave new meaning to the adage “necessity is the mother of invention.” From covering the dryer vent with panty hose pointed to the kitchen for added heat during the winter; to installing what was probably the first homemade cruise control — known as the “Horizontal Speed Stabilizer” — in his favorite vehicle, a 1969 Volkswagen van. He also invented “homemade sandals” by cutting out the heels and toes of worn-out shoes. He found use for just about everything before eventually discarding it. He saw resources where everyone else saw trash.
Bill loved to run and was a participant in the Mavis 5 Miler for many years. He went on to enjoy cycling and was known for riding his bike throughout the streets of Mount Vernon and then throughout Ohio. Later, he would add the states of Delaware, Florida and Texas, taking his bike wherever he moved. When it came to bikes, Bill was the “go-to guy” for the neighborhood children. If the garage door was up, he was open for fixing the many flat tires from jumping curbs or loose chains that would easily come off. He always made sure that the brakes worked before any child left the driveway. It may have gone unnoticed, but it sure did save some lives.
After Bill retired from the bench and Patricia sadly passed away, Bill married Ratie Moore in 1994. He moved to Wilmington, Delaware, where he lived until 2008.Throughout those years, they spent time finding warm places to spend the winters. After Ratie’s passing in 2008, he spent a period of time living with family. When he mustered one final winter in Ohio, he bolted to Florida in 2012 and settled in at the Stratford Court in Palm Harbor. There, “The Judge” made many close friends. He was avid at doing crossword puzzles, making rosaries and using his iPad to stay in touch with those he loved.
Bill was a fan of people. He took a genuine interest in everybody he met and would take time to get to know them, their background and their family. He was a beloved member of the “Great Generation” who has left us all with many wonderful memories. He will be greatly missed.
He is survived by his children, Mike (Kathy), Tom (Irene) and Rick (Marilou) Mosholder; Amy Merry (Tom) and Nicole Mosholder (Chris); stepdaughter, Cindy Lowe (Pat); stepson, Roger Moore; 14 grandchildren; and 23 great-grandchildren.
Bill was preceded in death by his parents, Kenneth and Agnes; his wives, Patricia Mosholder and Ratie Moore; his sister and brother-in-law, Merle and Therese McKinley; a stepson, Jack Moore; and step-grandchildren, Morrie and Ethan Lowe.
Calling hours will be held at the Flowers-Snyder Funeral Home, 619 E. High St. in Mount Vernon, from 5-7 p.m. on Thursday, April 15. A vigil service will follow the visitation.
A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated at 10 a.m. on Friday, April 16, at Saint Vincent de Paul Catholic Church. Burial will follow in Mount Calvary Cemetery, with military honors provided by the Knox County Joint Veterans Council.
The Funeral Mass will be available on YouTube by searching Saint Vincent de Paul Catholic Church, Mount Vernon.
In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation to St. Vincent de Paul Catholic Church or The Salvation Army. Bill loved the church and was known to ring bells during the holidays for The Salvation Army.
To share a memory or send the family an expression of sympathy, visit www.snyderfuneralhomes.com.
The Flowers-Snyder Funeral Home is honored to serve the family of William Mosholder.
