William H. Claus, 91, Retired Lieutenant of Lorain Fire Dept.

He was born July 22, 1917 in Lorain and had been a lifelong Lorain area resident.

Bill was a 1935 graduate of St. Mary High School in Lorain. He worked for the Lorain City Fire Department as a firefighter for 33 years and retired as a lieutenant in 1975. Prior to that he worked as a bus driver for the Lorain-Cleveland Highway Coach and later drove charter bus trips for SBS Transit of Lorain.

Bill was a member of St. Anthony of Padua Catholic Church in Lorain and the Men’s Club of the church. He was a life member of Elks BPO Lodge #1301 in Lorain and he bowled and golfed in the Elks leagues in Lorain.

He is survived by his son William J. Claus and wife Fran of Lorain, daughters Diana Aguilar of Lorain and Pamela Bulloch and husband John of Vermilion, 7 grandchildren, 11 great grandchildren and brother Robert Claus and wife Angie of Lorain. He was preceded in death by his wife Maryhelen Claus (nee Kolopos) in 2005, parents Joseph & Cornelia Claus (nee Boath) and brother Woodrow Claus.

The family will receive friends Friday, August 8, 2008 from 4-8 p.m. at the Gluvna-Shimo-Hromada Funeral Chapel, 3224 Broadway Ave., Lorain. Funeral services will be held Saturday, August 9, 2008 at 9:30 a.m. in the funeral chapel followed by the mass of Christian Burial at 10:00 a.m. at the Catholic Church of St. Peter, 3501 Oberlin Ave., Lorain. The Rev. Chuck Henkle, associate pastor, will officiate. Burial will follow in Calvary Cemetery in Lorain.

Memorial contributions may be made to Lorain Meals-on-Wheels, c/o Lorain Senior Center, 3361 Garfield Blvd., Lorain, OH. 44052