William N. "Bill" Sawmiller

William N. "Bill" Sawmiller, 47, of Wapakoneta, passed away at 11:40 a.m., Saturday, March 14, 2026 at The Christ Hospital, Cincinnati. He was born on January 8, 1979 in St. Marys, to Lynn E. and Cynthia R. (Dietz) Sawmiller, who survive in St. Marys.

Survivors also include his three children, Keegan W. & Lauren Sawmiller, of St. Marys, Alivia M. Sawmiller, of St. Marys, Kayla L. Sawmiller, of Wapakoneta, two granddaughters, Harlow and Haelynn; three siblings, Daniel & Samantha Sawmiller, of Hilliard, Jacob & Ali Sawmiller, of Convoy, Sarah Kramer of St. Marys; six nieces and nephews, Tyler and Riley Sawmiller, Cameron Kramer, Katie, Luke and Myla Sawmiller; seven aunts and uncles, Cindy Sawmiller, of Defiance, Gwen Imwalle, of St. Marys, Diane Method, of Wapakoneta, Penny & Gerald Gerber, of Mt. Vernon, IA, Rebecca & Ray Broerman, of Yorkshire, Loraine & Tom Bernard, of Maria Stein, Tim & Anita Dietz, of Springboro; many cousins; and his beloved canine companion, his King Charles Cavalier, Copper.

Bill was welcomed into Heaven by his grandparents, William E. & Doris Sawmiller and Leo & Mary Dietz. He was also preceded in death by three uncles, Kenn Sawmiller, Bill Method, Eric Imwalle.

After graduating in 1997 from St. Marys Memorial High School, Bill attended college for a short time before beginning his family. He worked at Plastipak, before becoming the office manager at RRR, Wapakoneta for the past 10+ years. There he was knowledgable in both the mechanical and customer service sides of the business. For the past year, he had been learning Spanish to better communicate with his co-workers.

Football was an integral part of Bill's life. Playing midget and high school football in St. Marys, he began coaching the St. Marys Stallions and All Star midget teams as soon as his son could play. He continued coaching for next 15 years, putting in the work to make a difference in the lives of those on his team. Known as "Victory" in the St. Marys Cowbell Mafia, Bill was a member from the beginning. The Mafia is made of sportsmen who root for their hometeam, inspiring their own players while gaining respect from the opposing team. He was active in the Cowbell Mafia fundraisers and community involvement. Bill also spent his Saturdays and Sundays of football season cheering on The Ohio State University Buckeyes and the Cleveland Browns.

In addition to football, Bill grew up with a love of cars, instilled in him by his dad. Growing up they would travel to NASCAR races and at 15, he rebuilt the motor of a 1969 Camaro using only dad's guidance to decipher the manuals. This became the foundation for his career and favorite hobby. His dedication to restoring hotrods is evident in the 1957 Chevy Bill completed with his dad. Bill's paint job was always remarked on and won awards at car shows. In high school he and friends would spend time fishing, taking trips to Canada and other places as they got older. As Bill's own kids grew, he taught Keegan to fish while Alivia and Kayla saved the worms.

Family was everything to Bill. He was the glue for his kids, his family and his friends. Bill was willing to show up for anyone, at any time, to do anything. It didn't matter the type of event... football, tennis, power lifting, dance recitals or band performances... he was there, every time for his kids. Becoming a grandpa was a whole new level of love. He adored spending time with his granddaughters and could be found on the floor playing Barbies or going on neighborhood walks. Babysitting them took precedence in his calendar.

A Celebration of Bill's Life will begin at 10:30 a.m. Wednesday, March 18, 2026 at Schlosser Funeral Home & Cremation Services. His lifelong best friend, Ryan Ahlers, will officiate and we encourage you to come with memories to share. Family and friends may visit from 4:00 - 7:00 p.m. Tuesday, March 17, 2026 at the funeral home. Memorial contributions may be directed to the family, so they may complete Bill's 1965 Malibu and 1951 Mercury project cars.