William J. Vorsheck, Jr.

How do you write about a life too big for words? Words seem so small against the shadow of a mountain. For those who knew the iconic, immeasurable, immovable force of nature that was William J. Vorsheck, Jr, novels would fall short. On Thursday, September 5th, 2024, the world lost a giant. The kind of man for whom stories are written and legends are told. Bill passed at age 89, surrounded by family at his residence. He was born in Harborcreek, PA on February 19th, 1935, a son of the late William J. Vorsheck Sr and Dorothy G. Decker-Vorsheck. He was a graduate of Lawrence Park High School where he lettered in multiple sports and left his mark as the unquestioned MVP of the 1953 Save-An-Eye All Star game, earning a full scholarship to Youngstown State University where he lettered in football while obtaining a Bachelor of Science in Education, going on to earn a Master’s in Psychology and studying for his PhD in Psychology.

After college Bill served as a teacher and multi-sport coach at Ripley High School, Girard High School and McDowell High School, serving as president of the Erie County Coaches Association. He returned to the Save-An-Eye game as County All Stars coach in 1965 and 1967, rousing the County team to an unexpected 25-0 victory. While always carrying a passion for sports, Bill turned his attention to entrepreneurship, owning and operating an independent insurance agency to pay for studies and eventually meeting Dr. Daniel Snow & Dr. Hopkins who encouraged him to following a passion for psychotherapy. He was a pioneer in medical hypnosis, co-founding the Erie Institute of Hypnosis in the 1970’s treating countless patients as well as aiding forensic investigations over a 30-year career. His greatest joy was always helping people. 

Never one to settle, retirement served as an opportunity to continue helping his community by establishing student athlete scholarships, serving on the boards of the Sight Center, Emmaus Soup Kitchen and Harborcreek School for Boys. He was a co-founder of the Wesleyville, Iroquois, Lawrence Park Sports Hall of Fame and was an inaugural inductee for contributions and accomplishments in sports. Bill was also a 2014 inductee to the Pennsylvania Sports Hall of Fame and inaugural inductee to the Iroquois Academic Hall of Fame. He championed the establishment of the John L. Post Stadium in honor of his friend and fellow Hall of Famer. In 2014 Bill joined the formation committee with Notre Dame star Aaron Taylor, other former ND and Pittsburgh Offensive Line players to establish the NCAA Joe Moore Offensive Line award in honor of his dear friend and fellow coach Joe Moore.

Before returning to Erie, Bill traded the snow for warm sands of Florida and Grand Cayman where he enjoyed sharing the warmth and beauty with family and friends along with golfing, eventually designing and constructing a course where he scored a hole in one with plenty of witnesses to photograph his delight. It was in these later years found perhaps the greatest pride, as loving papa to his 13 grandchildren. 

In addition to his parents, Bill was preceded in death by two daughters, Janis L. Hill and Christine E. Shewfelt; two brothers, Tommy R. Vorsheck and Timothy R. Vorsheck; and two sisters, Carole Woitovich and Rae H. McCaleb. 

He is survived by his loving wife of 44 years, Elizabeth Hirt Vorsheck; three children, William J. Vorsheck III and his wife Dr. Lauren Mozdy, Michelle Conrad and her husband Christopher and Valerie Greene and her husband Christopher; two sons-in-law, Kenneth Hill and Christopher Shewfelt; thirteen grandchildren; eight great grandchildren; his sister Sue, Janice Allen and many nieces and nephews.

The family would like to thank Barbie Anderson and Madison Steadman for their round-the-clock, compassionate, loving and tender care of Bill over the past two years. They are his angels.

Friends may call at the Burton Quinn Scott Funeral Home, West Ridge 3801 W. 26th St, Erie, PA 16506 on Tuesday September 10th from 1:00 to 3:00 p.m. and 5:00 to 7:00 p.m. and are invited to attend a service on Wednesday September 11th at 11:00 a.m. at the Mount St. Benedict Monastery Chapel, 6101 E. Lake Rd, Erie, PA 16511. 

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to the Sisters of St. Benedict, 6101 E. Lake Rd, Erie, PA 16511, Emmaus Soup Kitchen, 211 East 11th St. Erie, PA. 16503, Save-An-Eye Game c/o Erie Lyons Club, PO Box 9364, Erie, PA 16505 or the Sight Center of Northwest Pennsylvania, 2545 W. 26th St., Erie, PA 16506.