William Robert “Bill” Speich passed away on November 1, 2025, at Hope for Tomorrow in Phoenix, Arizona, with his wife Diane by his side. Bill was born on August 12, 1945, in Camden, New Jersey, to Ralph and Laura Speich. As a young man, he worked on both his family's farm (for free) and his friend's farm (for pay). As a teenager, he made trips to nearby Philadelphia to dance on the Dick Clark's American Bandstand. He served in the US Navy and had a variety of vocations including union boilermaker, realtor, HVAC at Community Hospital and Medical Center and the Arizona Capitol (supervisor), HVAC instructor at Phoenix Job Corps, and airline crew shuttle driver. He attended University of Phoenix to earn a degree as a systems analyst and worked for MCI. Bill loved playing Santa at Community Hospital, at office parties, with family, and at Job Corps for the teenagers who didn't have a home to go to at Christmas (aided by his lovely assistant/wife who baked cookies). On the way home from Job Corps, they stopped for Chinese food. Bill went in fully dressed in case there were kids inside. There were several, and he let each one sit in his lap and tell him what they wanted for Christmas. One evening when Bill was scheduled to pick up Diane from work at midnight, she called to ask him if he minded giving a fellow employee a ride---which included picking up her grandson at daycare. He said it was no problem and asked how old the grandson was. Diane couldn't figure out why it mattered, but told Bill he was 4. Bill arrived in full Santa regalia. The little boy was asleep when they picked him up, but his grandmother woke him when they got home. He was still half asleep and didn't get excited, but his eyes got really big and he was stunned. The next morning he asked his grandma if that was really Santa or if he'd dreamed it. Bill was preceded in death by his parents. Survivors include his wife Diane; siblings, Isabel Miller, Myra Toms, and Ralph Speich (Eleanor); much loved stepchildren Michelle Sylvester (Rob) and Steve Sylvester (Nancy); grandchildren Alexis Epps (Zach), C.J. Ruehrmund (Emma), Jace Sylvester, and Penn Sylvester; great-granddaughter Maddie Epps; six nephews and nieces, and several great nephews and nieces. The family thanks Bill's caregivers at Palazzo Skilled Nursing, Stillwater Hospice, and Hope for Tomorrow group home for their kindness and concern. The family will gather in Phoenix for private services and scattering of ashes the weekend of January 9, 2026.