Dr. Bill (William Patrick) Illig, age 75, died on Wednesday, April 13, 2011, at his Tulsa home surrounded by his loving family. He was preceded in death by his parents, William F. Illig, Esq. and Mary Cleary Illig, two granddaughters, Sarah Minielly and Mary Claire Minielly, and a brother-in-law, Robbie Robison. He is survived by his wife of 46 years, Hannah Reynolds Illig, and three daughters: Natalie (Mrs. John) McNicholas of Naples, FL, Mary (Mrs. David) Minielly of Edmond, OK, and Tricia (Mrs. Eric) Davis of Tulsa, OK. He was the proud grandfather of Taylor Davis, Nicole Davis, Alec Minielly and Matthew Minielly. He is further survived by two brothers: James M. Illig of San Francisco, CA, Joseph J. Illig, M.D. of Colorado Springs, CO, and two sisters: Denise Robison of Erie, PA, and Mary Virginia (Mrs. Stuart) Dye, of Bethesda, MD, together with many nieces and nephews.

Bill was born in Erie, PA, and graduated from Cathedral Preparatory School in Erie. He is a graduate of Georgetown University, with a B.S. in History, and a Cum Laude graduate of the Georgetown University School of Medicine, Washington, D.C. He was an Intern at Grady Memorial Hospital of Emory University School of Medicine in Atlanta, GA. Dr. Illig was then awarded a three-year Fellowship in Clinical Pathology at the Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN. While at the Mayo Clinic, Bill was called into the U.S. Army Medical Corps and served as an Anatomic Pathologist at Ft. McPherson, GA, and Chief Pathologist of the Ninth Medical Laboratory in Saigon, Vietnam, from which Captain Illig was honorably discharged and awarded the Bronze Star Medal.

Dr. Illig was a Fellow, College of American Pathologists, a Fellow, American Society of Clinical Pathologists, a Diplomat of the National Board of Medical Examiners and the American Society of Cytology, to name a few of his professional affiliations. He was very active in the Tulsa medical community as Staff Pathologist at St. Francis Hospital, Director of Tumor Registry,St. Francis Hospital, and past chairman of the Cancer Committee at St. Francis Hospital. He was a Clinical Associate Professor, Tulsa Medical College of the University of Oklahoma and author of published research in Surgical Pathology/Cytology as an affiliate of the Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group. Bill is referred to as a "legend" for his medical knowledge and his passion for excellence and accuracy.

He was also an accomplished taxidermist, bow hunter and an enthusiastic and adventurous outdoorsman.

The many friends of Dr. Illig are invited to the Rosary at St. Rita Chapel of Cascia Hall Preparatory School on Friday, April 15, 2011 at 7 p.m. And they are especially welcomed the following morning to his Funeral Mass at Christ the King Church at 9 a.m. A breakfast reception will immediately follow at the Church.

In lieu of flowers, the family welcomes donations to the Christ the King Catholic Church, 1520 S. Rockford, Tulsa, OK 74120.

Fitzgerald Ivy Chapel (918) 585-1151.