William Hershleder, Age 84, of St. Louis Park, died peacefully at home with loved ones on November 5, 2011. Born in Chicago, Bill spent his early years in France, and then moved to New York City where he studied civil engineering at The Cooper Union and Cornell University, graduating in 1949. Bill worked as an engineer in the 1950’s and 60’s, building dams in Brazil, subway expansions in Manhattan, the Brooklyn-Battery Tunnel, and Central Park’s Wollman Rink. During 10 years at Gilbane Building Company he managed construction of the TWA and BOAC air terminals at JFK airport. After relocating to St. Louis Park in 1974, Bill earned a law degree at William Mitchell College of Law in 1979, and worked as Assistant Hennepin County Attorney. He retired in 1991 to write his historical novel, “Beyond Abraham.”

Bill is survived by loving wife, Barbara; children, Jill Holmquist and Jim Hershleder; stepchildren Heidi Vader (Peter), Bridget Herrmann (Joel), and Colin Ireton (Lori); grandchildren Kathryn Savage (Jason) and their son Henry, Shane and Leo Vader, Samuel, Matthew and Nicholas Herrmann, Amanda Crowder and her daughter, Kenadi, Chelsea, Samuel, Isaiah, Elijah and Jeremiah Ireton. Bill will be missed by his Dante study group and his wide variety of friends. Bill remained his upbeat, engaged, scholarly self to the end. The family is grateful to Bill’s primary doctors Greg Lehman, Nikki Meyers, and J.P. Carlson, The Masonic Home, and the wonderful caregivers at Methodist Hospital.