William (Bill) Alter

William Edward Alter May 15th, 1944 - November 29th, 2024 William Edward "Bill" Alter passed away in his sleep on November 29th, 2024 at the age of 80. Bill was born May 15th, 1945, in Iowa City,IA the first of four children born to Edward and Eileen Alter. He grew up in Creve Coeur, Missouri, alongside his beloved siblings Gary, Betty and Edward. Bill attended Southwest Missouri State University in Springfield, MO, where in 1962, he met the love of his life, Merijo. Both played accordion in local bands. He and Merijo would marry on June 9th, 1963, beginning a life together that would last for 61 years and would produce 2 children, 5 grandchildren, and 6 great-grandchildren. Though Bill attended SWMS to study music, he felt compelled to serve his country and joined the United States Navy in 1963. Upon his joining, he trained at Great Lakes near North Chicago, where he and Merijo would welcome their daughter Angela in February of 1964. After completion of Navy Electronics Tech School, Bill was one of only six men who scored high enough in aptitude tests to qualify for training as a Radar Technician. He and Merijo moved to Brunswick, Georgia where Bill trained at Naval Air Station Glynco. He scored highest in his class and was one of only two men to finish training. Upon completion, he was stationed in Corpus Christi, Texas as a Ground Control Approach Radar Technician, ensuring planes entering and exiting the base took off and landed safely. It was in Corpus Christi that he and Merijo would welcome their second child, Brett, in November of 1966. He would serve a total of 4 years, 4 months and 4 days in the Navy before being honorably discharged in 1967. Upon completion of his service, Bill was hired by IBM as a Field Engineer, and the family moved back to St. Louis. He spent 11 years with IBM before leaving to join his wife in her direct sales jewelry business. In the late 1970's, Bill and Merijo would both join the Jefferson County Sheriff's Department. Both would sit on the board of the directors for the Jefferson County Sheriff's Reserve, with Bill serving as Commander of a 55-man force, for 10 years. During a time when the county police was woefully understaffed, with sometimes only a single patrol car available, Bill's effort as an officer and Commander of the Reserve unit would give increased ability for the Sheriff's Dept. to serve and protect the citizens of Jefferson County. Bill then moved to the Byrnes Mill Police Department, where he would serve, first as a road officer, then bailiff for the Byrnes Mill court up to his retirement in 2023, ending a 40-year span serving his community as a peace officer. Bill and Merijo had long been concerned for their country, government and community. It was for this reason, despite his personal desire not to, that Bill agreed to run for State Representative in 1989. Despite running against a well-funded, well-known Democrat incumbent in a county that had only elected 1 Republican over the prior 52 years, and with no funding, with volunteers, Bill won election to the Missouri House of Representatives. After serving his 2-year term and narrowly losing a re-election effort, he ran once more and won, returning to the House to serve 3 more terms, serving on the House Ethics Committee, and Criminal Justice, among others. Upon his retirement from the House in 2000, he returned to private life until the Republican Party called upon him for service once more in 2006. He agreed to run as the Republican candidate in a special election to fill the remaining term of his district's seat in the Missouri Senate, winning yet again. Upon his second and final retirement from political office, Bill went back to doing what he really loved: being a husband, father and grandfather. Whether supporting his wife as husband and business partner, taking his grandchildren to the shooting range, or maintaining Rivercene, the Civil War-era mansion he and Merijo purchased and ran as a bed-and-breakfast in the mid 2000's, Bill was a source of constant love, support and example to his family. Bill was a devout Christian, and considered his faith essential to his life. He and Merijo would study the Bible together during their courtship and upon moving to Chicago for Bill's Navy training, joined a Bible study. They were baptized in the Church of Christ, spending the remainder of their lives as devoted Christians, imparting their wisdom on the importance of faith to their children and grandchildren. Bill would serve as Treasurer at the High Ridge Church of Christ for 40+ years. Bill is survived by his wife of 61 years, Merijo; his daughter Angela, (Todd), his siblings Gary,(Molly), Betty and Edward, (Cara),his grandchildren Adam, (Emily), Laura, Brendan, Colten, (Tianni), and Alexandra, (Dan), and his great-grandchildren Malcolm, Winry, Lila, William Edward & Thomas Michael William (the latter two of whom both bear his namesake). Several Washington Univ students were hosted by Bill and Merijo, and one of those, Dr. Tom Young is an "assimilated son". Bill was a man full of life and strength. He was a man who loved hunting, fishing, westerns (especially any starring John Wayne), Star Trek, and James Bond. He could fix nearly anything, teach you to repair any part of your car that had gone bad, and was renowned as the best shot in the Byrnes Mill P.D. right up until his retirement. He was a man of immense knowledge and talents, but also immense humility. Bill never sought recognition for his accomplishments nor desired status for himself. He devoted much of his life to public service, not out of a desire to be recognized, but from a genuine desire to do his part for those around him, and to leave a better world for the people he loved. Despite his 5 terms as a state legislator, Bill said that his greatest source of pride for his career was as an officer of the law. True to his servant nature, Bill never accepted a penny of pay for his 40-plus years of service as an officer. To him, it was simply the right thing to do. Bill was a man who lead by example; who garnered immense respect from those who knew him by his strength of character, his resolve, his courage, and his wisdom; a man who chose his words carefully, and as a result, had the full attention of anyone who was fortunate enough to be there when he spoke. He was a servant, a citizen statesman, a Christian, and most fundamentally, a truly decent and good man; a man who loved his family, his country and his God. He leaves a legacy worthy of pride and a family that will always be eternally grateful, as will all who knew him, for his influence on their lives and the example he gave us. In lieu of floweers donations preferred to Paralized Veterans of America.

William (Bill) Alter

May 15, 1944 - November 29, 2024