It is Georgetown Preparatory School's sad duty to report the passing of William V. "Bill" Bidwill '49, P'83, '85, '90. Bill passed away on October 2 in Phoenix, Arizona; he was 88 years old.
A boarding student from Chicago, Illinois, Bill started on Georgetown Prep's 1948 Hall of Fame football team as fullback and kicker.
Having graduated from Prep, Bill joined the United States Navy. After his service, he attended Georgetown University. Bill's father, Charles Bidwill, a prominent Chicago sports figure and member of the Pro Football Hall of Fame, purchased the Chicago Cardinals (now Arizona Cardinals) in 1932. During Bill's time at Georgetown, he began working for the team as a vice president. Upon his graduation, he moved to St. Louis, where the Cardinals had relocated in 1960, to work for the team full-time. He became the sole owner of the Cardinals in 1972. The Cardinals moved to Phoenix, Arizona in 1988 and became the Arizona Cardinals. Bill piloted the franchise successfully for 45 years. During his time in Phoenix, he also became an important contributor to the Phoenix business community and a prominent but understated leader in the philanthropic community. He tried always to live as a man for and with others.
Bill was awarded the Insignis Medal, Georgetown Prep's highest honor, in 1990. He was also inducted into the Georgetown Prep Athletic Hall of Fame in 2017. His sons, Michael '83, Patrick '85, and Timothy '90, also attended Georgetown Prep.