WILLARD E. "BILL" CARMEL

WILLARD E. “BILL” CARMEL, age 96, passed away peacefully in his home on July 25, 2026. Beloved husband of the late Donna (nee Heffelfinger) for 73 years; loving father of Todd Carmel (Barbara), Donn Carmel (Barbara), and Amy Quintero (Mario); devoted brother of Donna Rae Reese (née Carmel) (deceased); cherished grandfather of Justin Carmel (Venessa), Nicholas Carmel (Becca), Grace Carmel, Allyson Franks (Keith), Bryan Carmel (Kaitlin), Christopher Carmel (Brie), Alex Quintero (Tina), Jonathan Quintero (Erika), Lindsay Quintero (Jared), and Natalie Quintero; proud great-grandfather of Dane and Alanna (children of Justin and Venessa), Callan (child of Nick and Becca), Lilly, Kelsey, and Alyssa (children of Allyson and Keith), and Isabella and Logan (children of Bryan and Kaitlin); and caring friend and neighbor.

Born on November 2, 1929 – one week after the stock market crash of 1929 – and raised during the Great Depression in Grafton, Ohio, he was the beloved son of the late Donnell and Katherine Carmel (née Knowles), who married in 1927. His father worked as a mechanic at Rothgery Motors, a local dealership just a five-minute walk from home, and was so respected for his precision, expertise, and integrity that people traveled from as far as Cleveland seeking out his work. The family weathered the Depression years with quiet discipline and pride – through modest means, they always ate well, dressed well, and by 1932 they were able to rent a home of their own on Chestnut Street. It was there, watching his father's steady hands and quiet integrity, that Bill's own values took root: the humility, discipline, and care for others that would define his life and career.

Bill graduated from Grafton High School in 1947, where he was catcher on the baseball team, played on the football and basketball teams, was vice president of his senior class, played with the brass ensemble, and performed in comedy plays with the Masquers Club. He graduated from Baldwin Wallace University (“BWU”) in 1952, where he studied business under his favorite professor and mentor, Dr. Jacob O. Kamm, made friendships that lasted his entire life, and most importantly, met the love of his life, Donna.

Together, Bill and Donna built a life anchored by 73 years of marriage and a deep devotion to family. They raised their children in Bay Village, Ohio, where they lived for more than seven decades. Their three children, Todd, Donn, and Amy, went on to raise their own families nearby, and Bill delighted in being present for them and his ten grandchildren as they grew up, speaking with his grandchildren regularly and staying closely attuned to the details of their personal lives and careers. It was a privilege and a gift – for his grandchildren to know him and learn from him, and for his children to know his warmth, wisdom, and love up close for all the years they shared. Known for a sharp wit and warm sense of humor that put everyone around him at ease, Bill was also extremely generous and caring toward his friends – the kind of person people knew they could count on.

Bill lived a life of deep faith and gratitude. He carried a strong work ethic and treated his neighbors exactly as he wished to be treated – with kindness, respect, and generosity. In everything he did, he embodied the values of a devoted Christian: humility, service, and love for others.

From humble beginnings in Grafton, Bill built one of the most respected careers in Ohio finance. He joined Field, Richards & Co. in 1952 and was named vice president at just 27. When McDonald & Co. acquired Field, Richards in 1964, Bill joined its municipal bond department, was made a partner the following year, and went on to serve as managing partner, president, and ultimately chairman and CEO – guiding the firm through its transition to public ownership in 1983. He built what became the largest and most successful municipal bond operation in Ohio, grateful each day for the opportunity to learn, and proud that his life's work meant investing in the state he loved, raising the capital that helped build Ohio's schools, roads, and civic infrastructure. Under his leadership, the firm's revenues and profits reached record highs, its office footprint expanded across Ohio and beyond into several other states, and it later grew into a firm with an international presence. Colleagues remembered him as a quiet, steady leader – someone who commanded respect not through force of personality but through genuine humility, integrity, hard work, and a real interest in the people he worked with. "Business is all about people," he liked to say, along with his own rule for a good life: "You never work a day if you love what you do."

Bill's devotion to his alma mater ran just as deep: as a trustee for BWU over four decades, including as board chairman, he co-chaired three capital campaigns that raised nearly $175 million combined, and for years personally managed the fixed-income side of BW's endowment. His commitment to students went beyond mentorship – he and Donna also provided scholarships for students over the years, several of whom he stayed close with long after graduation, following their careers with pride. Prior to his passing, Bill made arrangements to ensure those scholarships (the Carmel Family Endowed Conservatory Scholarship and the Carmel Boyer School of Business Endowed Scholarship) would continue, a lasting legacy of opportunity for future generations of BWU students. In 2000, Bill and Donna were honored with the naming of the Willard and Donna Carmel Living Learning Center, and in 2022, BWU renamed its business school the Carmel Boyer School of Business in recognition of his impact. Bill and Donna were also very active in their community, supporting local schools, local sports, Cleveland arts, and numerous other causes.

An outdoorsman and lifelong sports fan, Bill loved fishing, cheering on the Cleveland Guardians and Browns, and a good hand of poker with friends. He found quiet joy tending his garden, where he took pride in his mandevillas and many flourishing flower varieties and cherished the peaceful serenity of Lake Erie. Bill and Donna loved traveling the world together, from China and Turkey to Alaska and throughout Europe – but their favorite place to be, together and with family, was always Sanibel Island, where they spent decades of winters and springs building a lifetime of memories. He was an avid reader with a particular love of history, and he never lost his enthusiasm for tracking the stock market daily in his notebook. Bill had a well-known sweet tooth and loved serving his grandchildren generous bowls of ice cream whenever they came to visit. A man of ritual and routine, he read The Wall Street Journal every day and Barron's and Crain’s Cleveland Business every week, and got his hair trimmed every two weeks without fail. He never owned a pair of jeans in his life, always presenting himself with quiet polish – understated, never showy.

He will be remembered as a humble giant – a devoted husband, father, grandfather, and great-grandfather; a legendary yet unassuming leader in Cleveland's financial community; and a lifelong champion of Baldwin Wallace University and the causes he loved.

Friends may call at CHAMBERS FUNERAL HOME OF NORTH OLMSTED, 29150 LORAIN RD. AT STEARNS THURSDAY, AUGUST 6, 3-6 PM. A celebration of his life will be held on Friday, August 7th, 2026, at 11:00 AM at The United Methodist Church of Berea (170 Seminary Street, Berea, Ohio). Reception to follow at Strosacker Hall (125 Tressel Street, Berea, Ohio). For those who are attending both the service and reception, accessible parking and a roundtrip shuttle will be provided from Strosacker Hall to The United Methodist Church of Berea.

In lieu of flowers, the family kindly requests that donations be made to the Carmel Family Endowed Conservatory Scholarship https://www.bw.edu/giving/endowment/carmel-family-scholarship/ online, or mailed to Baldwin Wallace University Center for Philanthropy, 275 Eastland Rd, Berea, OH 44017) or to Great Lakes Theater https://www.greatlakestheater.org/support in his memory.