David Savastano, Editor09.17.15
William A. (Bill) Magie Jr., a longtime president of Magie Brothers Oil Company, died Sept, 2, 2015. He was 84.
Magie grew up in Winnetka, IL, graduating from New Trier High School in 1949. After high school, he attended Harvard University, where he earned a degree in business and geology in 1953. He then went on to serve his country as a lieutenant in the U.S. Navy during the Korean War. When Magie returned from active duty, he worked for Magie Brothers Oil Company, and later became president of the company.
He retired after 35 years in the oil business and moved to Fairfield Plantation in Villa Rica, GA. He became very involved in the community as a president of the Plantation Homeowner’s Association (POA) and an active member of the Plantation Press as a photographer, writer and proofreader. He served on numerous committees and received the prestigious “Volunteer of the Year Award.” His hobbies included sailing, skiing, golfing, photography and genealogy, but most of all, he loved spending time with his family and friends.
Tom Gwizdalski, MaxSol business manager for Resolute Oil, first met Magie when Gwizdalski started at Magie Bros. as lab manager in 1989.
“He was very dedicated to the business and our customers.” Gwizdalski recalled. “Before he retired in the early 1990s, he took me around to meet some of the local accounts and turned them over to me to manage. It was impressive to see how well liked and respected he was out in the marketplace…tough shoes to fill.
“He was very supportive and always willing to help in any way he could, even long after he left the company,” Gwizdalski added. “Over the years we kept in touch often as he remained interested in what was happening with family, friends and the business. I am truly grateful for the chance to get to know Bill and call him a friend. He will certainly be missed.”
“Bill was a ‘Gentleman’s, Gentleman,’” said Rich Hoster, a long-time colleague of Magie’s at Magie Bros. “I was honored when Bill hired me in 1974 after his dad had passed away to manage the ink industry for Magie Bros. At that time Bill was known as ‘Will’ as his dad was Bill, but his family called him Bill, and over time he became Bill to the industry.”
“Bill Magie was an icon in the printing ink industry,” said Alan Kalmikoff of AIK Advisor. “I have very fond memories of Bill from almost 40 years ago, when I started at Sun Chemical as a purchasing agent. He was very kind to me in explaining the ink oil business and I can still see him jawboning with my colleague, Frank Ebertsch, who would get into it with Bill about oil prices and availability. There were a lot of shortages back in the days of the 1970s.
“My most vivid recollection of Bill, however, was not about oil,” Kalmikoff added. “Bill was a golfer and I will never forget the first time I played with him. It was at the NAPIM Convention in Phoenix, AZ at the Biltmore in 1990. We were paired up with a fellow who was not a very good golfer. In fact, he was probably the worst golfer Bill had ever played with.
“Bill was a serious golfer and I clearly remember his patience wearing thin as this fellow dribbled shot after shot. At one point in the round, a freak snowstorm hit us and it started to get very cold, windy and, of course blowing snow. It was a very strange set of circumstances to say the least. This fellow never missed a beat, hacking around the course in the snow. Taking all of this in, Bill suddenly broke out in the best laugh I can ever recall hearing.”
Hoster also talked about Magie’s love of golfing.
“Bill was an avid golfer and a member of Skokie CC, which had a Curling Club that Bill enjoyed and was my first exposure to that Canadian pastime,” Hoster added. “On a personal note, I am eternally grateful and we often joked about his dislike for fishing when compared to golf, which led me to take all the customers to Pennzoil’s Shady Roost fishing lodge. Bill was a kind and generous boss and friend.”
He is survived by his wife of 62 years, Barbara; one son, Ted Magie; two daughters, Bonnie Popienko and Holly Phillips; five grandchildren and three great-grandchildren. He was preceded in death by his parents, William A. Magie, Sr. and Margaret MacGregor Magie, and his daughter, Mary Elizabeth Magie.
A Memorial Service will be held Saturday, Oct. 24, 2015 at 10 a.m. at Baue Funeral and Memorial Center, 3950 West Clay St., Saint Charles, MO.
Magie grew up in Winnetka, IL, graduating from New Trier High School in 1949. After high school, he attended Harvard University, where he earned a degree in business and geology in 1953. He then went on to serve his country as a lieutenant in the U.S. Navy during the Korean War. When Magie returned from active duty, he worked for Magie Brothers Oil Company, and later became president of the company.
He retired after 35 years in the oil business and moved to Fairfield Plantation in Villa Rica, GA. He became very involved in the community as a president of the Plantation Homeowner’s Association (POA) and an active member of the Plantation Press as a photographer, writer and proofreader. He served on numerous committees and received the prestigious “Volunteer of the Year Award.” His hobbies included sailing, skiing, golfing, photography and genealogy, but most of all, he loved spending time with his family and friends.
Tom Gwizdalski, MaxSol business manager for Resolute Oil, first met Magie when Gwizdalski started at Magie Bros. as lab manager in 1989.
“He was very dedicated to the business and our customers.” Gwizdalski recalled. “Before he retired in the early 1990s, he took me around to meet some of the local accounts and turned them over to me to manage. It was impressive to see how well liked and respected he was out in the marketplace…tough shoes to fill.
“He was very supportive and always willing to help in any way he could, even long after he left the company,” Gwizdalski added. “Over the years we kept in touch often as he remained interested in what was happening with family, friends and the business. I am truly grateful for the chance to get to know Bill and call him a friend. He will certainly be missed.”
“Bill was a ‘Gentleman’s, Gentleman,’” said Rich Hoster, a long-time colleague of Magie’s at Magie Bros. “I was honored when Bill hired me in 1974 after his dad had passed away to manage the ink industry for Magie Bros. At that time Bill was known as ‘Will’ as his dad was Bill, but his family called him Bill, and over time he became Bill to the industry.”
“Bill Magie was an icon in the printing ink industry,” said Alan Kalmikoff of AIK Advisor. “I have very fond memories of Bill from almost 40 years ago, when I started at Sun Chemical as a purchasing agent. He was very kind to me in explaining the ink oil business and I can still see him jawboning with my colleague, Frank Ebertsch, who would get into it with Bill about oil prices and availability. There were a lot of shortages back in the days of the 1970s.
“My most vivid recollection of Bill, however, was not about oil,” Kalmikoff added. “Bill was a golfer and I will never forget the first time I played with him. It was at the NAPIM Convention in Phoenix, AZ at the Biltmore in 1990. We were paired up with a fellow who was not a very good golfer. In fact, he was probably the worst golfer Bill had ever played with.
“Bill was a serious golfer and I clearly remember his patience wearing thin as this fellow dribbled shot after shot. At one point in the round, a freak snowstorm hit us and it started to get very cold, windy and, of course blowing snow. It was a very strange set of circumstances to say the least. This fellow never missed a beat, hacking around the course in the snow. Taking all of this in, Bill suddenly broke out in the best laugh I can ever recall hearing.”
Hoster also talked about Magie’s love of golfing.
“Bill was an avid golfer and a member of Skokie CC, which had a Curling Club that Bill enjoyed and was my first exposure to that Canadian pastime,” Hoster added. “On a personal note, I am eternally grateful and we often joked about his dislike for fishing when compared to golf, which led me to take all the customers to Pennzoil’s Shady Roost fishing lodge. Bill was a kind and generous boss and friend.”
He is survived by his wife of 62 years, Barbara; one son, Ted Magie; two daughters, Bonnie Popienko and Holly Phillips; five grandchildren and three great-grandchildren. He was preceded in death by his parents, William A. Magie, Sr. and Margaret MacGregor Magie, and his daughter, Mary Elizabeth Magie.
A Memorial Service will be held Saturday, Oct. 24, 2015 at 10 a.m. at Baue Funeral and Memorial Center, 3950 West Clay St., Saint Charles, MO.