Herman William Wernecke, Jr., known to his friends as Bill, died on October 11, 2021; he was 93 years old. A former Timonium resident, Bill resided at the Pickersgill Retirement Community in Towson, following a career in real estate for over 50 years.

He was born in Baltimore in 1928, where he was raised and attended Polytechnic Institute. Prior to graduation in 1945, he enlisted into the navy.  The day after he joined the Navy "VJ Day" was declared and per his son, Dan, he would tell people the Japanese knew he was coming so they surrendered.  Later during the Korean War in the Pacific Rim, he served on an LST (Landings Ship, Tank).  After being discharged from the Navy in California he hitchhiked across the country back to Baltimore.

After the Navy he joined the Chesapeake and Potomac Phone Company (known as C & P and now part of Verizon) as a telephone splicer where he worked for 15 years.  Shortly after his return to Baltimore he met his wife of 58 years M. Kathleen Martin from the Rogers Forge area and married her on November 6, 1954.  Kathleen passed away on May 18, 2013.  They had three sons: Dan, Doug, and Donald.

To feed a growing family while working at C & P, Bill became a part-time Real Estate agent with Grempler Realty.  He worked nights and weekends. In the early 1960s, Bill decided to become a full-time real estate agent.  Later in his career he became the "go to person" at Grempler Realty to open and manage new offices.  He opened the first office in Woodlawn in a converted car wash.  The next office was the new office in Columbia that was in a converted Barn.  Later he managed the new expanded Security Office on Rolling Road and was later promoted to be the manager of the Towson Office.  He was a great mentor to new agents as they entered the field.  He held his Realtor/Broker license for 50 plus years and finished his career at Long and Foster where he retired his license in 2017.

Bill was always active in the community. While in high school, he was an active member of his fraternity, Sigma Lambda Nu.  Later in life he was the self-appointed chairman of the group and organized many social events.  Bill was also highly active in the community as a member of the Towson Jaycees where he would organize socials and the 4 ^th of July Towson Float.  He joined the Timonium Kiwanis Club where he was awarded the "Outstanding Kiwanian of the Year" for most new members brought into the club.   As a long-time resident of Pine Valley (51 years), he spearheaded the effort for a traffic light at Timonium Road and Pine Valley Drive.  No light was installed but through his efforts the intersection was reconfigured to accommodate better traffic flow.  Bill was also a lifetime blood donor up to the age of 70.  He gave over 100 pints.  Even at the age of 90 he was still active giving back as a volunteer at St. Joe's Hospital.

P er his sons, Bill loved to dance.  On VE Day 1945 in Baltimore he was in a conga line celebrating Victory in Europe.  The picture ended up in the newspaper and then he had to explain to his father why he was not in school.  At a family reunion in Deep Creek, when he was in his 70's, he somehow ended up dancing with a much younger professional ballroom dancer at the event next to the reunion.  Even after his hip surgery in 2017 he could be found dancing on Friday nights at the Hunt Valley Town Center or at the VFW in Rosedale.

Bill is survived by his sons Daniel (Charisse), Douglas (Joan), and Donald; his grandchildren Brice (Meghan), Austin (Caroline), Alyssa (Bobby Corrigan), Natalie, Emma (Austen Strachan), and Cole; his great grandchildren Violet, Willow, Declan, Mia; and his brother Howard (Mary Carole).

Memorial contributions may be made in Bill's name to Pickersgill's Scholarship Fund or to Gilchrist.

The family will receive friends at the family owned Peaceful Alternatives Funeral and Cremation Center located at 2325 York Road, Timonium, Maryland 21093 on Friday, November 5, 2021, from 2-5 PM.  A Mass of Christian Burial will be held at St. Joseph Catholic Church, 100 Church Lane, Texas, Maryland 21030 on Saturday, November 6, 2021, beginning at 11 AM.  Interment at a later date.