William Andrews Priestley Obituary

William Andrews Priestley was faculty at Vero Beach High School in Vero Beach, FL. View the obituary, post a memory, or share a photo about William Andrews Priestley.

School Role	Faculty
Date of Passing	Jan 10, 2016
About	WILLIAM's Obituaries WILLIAM ANDREWS PRIESTLEY (BILL) passed away peacefully on January 10, 2016. Bill was born in Rahway, NJ on December 30, 1927 and was the son of William Uber Priestley and Alice Eugenie Hunt and the stepson of Theodore B. Hunt. Bill attended and graduated from Christ Church Preparatory School in 1948. He started his college career at Randolph Macon College; however, after two years took a leave of absence to enter the Army, serving his Country during the Korean War. Bill served from 1951 to 1953 and was stationed in Berlin, Germany. He served as a Training Information and Education Officer and in the Military Police. After three years of service he returned to Virginia and resumed his college education at Randolph Macon College. In 1955, he graduated with a Bachelor of Arts degree in History and a minor in Psychology. He then moved his family to Miami, FL and attended the University of Miami where he obtained a Masters of Arts degree in history. Bill taught in Miami at Jackson High School until 1960 when he was offered a job as a teacher and swimming coach at Vero Beach High School. Bill was a dedicated and gifted coach who worked tirelessly to develop a swimming team that became one of the top teams in the state. Many of Bill’s swimmers were state and nationally ranked champions. Bill was awarded many honors receiving Coach of the Year and All Conference Coach awards for numerous years. Bill taught thousands of children to swim on the Treasure Coast and was a mentor to many others. In 1975, Bill and his daughter Jackie established Vero Beach Health and Country Club which they later renamed The Jungle Club. The Jungle Club was testimony to Bill’s love and respect for nature as he avoided destroying the natural beauty of the land the club was built on. Bill’s club became a premier health club in Indian River County. Active his entire life, Bill could regularly be seen working out at Christi’s gym during the past fifteen years. Bill is survived by his life-long friend, love, and former wife Dorothy Zeller of Vero Beach, his daughter Jackie Solari and son-in-law Bob Solari also of Vero Beach, Sheila Priestley and son-in-law Kenny Wegman of Hattiesburg, Mississippi, and Susan Smith of Vero Beach, FL. In lieu of flowers donations may be made to the Gifford Youth Achievement Center at 4875 43rd Avenue, Vero Beach, Fl 32967.