William Rizk

William (“Bill”) Sliman Rizk, of Prescott, Arizona passed away peacefully at home on August 11, 2022 at 106 years and eight months old.

Born in Aleppo, Syria on January 17, 1916, Bill spent his boyhood years playing in the streets of old Jerusalem. A gifted athlete who excelled at soccer and swimming, he caught the attention of the local YMCA director who became a lifelong friend and mentor. He graduated from St. George’s School in 1936 with honors in academics and sports. After graduating, Bill left home and headed to Europe to see the sights with his best friends as the winds of war were beginning to swirl. While enjoying time in Paris, he was recruited by the French Olympic team when they saw him swimming and diving at their practice pool. Unfortunately, Hitler cut his Olympic dreams short when he invaded France. Bill and his friends barely made it out.

Bill took a job in Ethiopia with Barclays Bank and developed a friendship with the officers of the U.S. Army who had just liberated the country from Axis forces. He was so helpful in working with local vendors, translating, and getting needed supplies for their troops that they asked him to join the first diesel truck convoy across the Sahara Desert from Eritrea to Cairo, Egypt. Always up for adventure, Bill accepted. Upon completion of an epic 1,600 mile trek across the sand dunes, he made it to Cairo, where he was soon formally inducted into the U.S. Army. During his time in Egypt, he swam for the USA FME team. At an all-Allied meet, he was the only member of the American team to show up due to a transportation snafu. He entered as many events as possible and went on to take first place in all of them, winning the meet single-handedly and making him a “One Man GI Swimming Team” as reported by the Stars and Stripes. He spent his time in the U.S. Army quartermaster division as they moved into Italy for the duration of the conflict. After the war, Bill sailed on a liberty ship to the United States, being discharged in Virginia. He settled in California, attended UCLA, and gained his US Citizenship in 1947. He sponsored his parents, sisters, and brother to come to America. After ten long years apart, they were reunited again in California. Bill then took a job with Bank of America in their International Banking Department. From 1947 to 1957, he lived in Los Angeles, San Francisco, New York, Bangkok, and Tokyo and traveled through much of Southeast Asia.

Following his early professional successes, he was recruited by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) for a tour of duty in Laos, where he helped the government set up their central banking system, followed by a tour in Cyprus, and then Jordan. During a short home leave in California, his sisters introduced him to a colleague who turned out to be the love of his life, Karen (née Follett). After a whirlwind romance, they were married and she headed with him to his duty station in Jordan to start their lives together. Bill ordered a white 1965 Ford Mustang with red leather interior for getting around. Little did they realize that the King of Jordan had the same car. Bill and Karen bore a striking resemblance to the King and Queen, and they were often saluted wherever they went. Bill’s subsequent assignments included Tunisia where he and Karen welcomed their daughters, Anne-Marie and Christine; and South Korea, where he was instrumental in helping the country set up their first stock exchange. After decades of participating in nation-building, Bill was ready to settle down. He retired with his family to Prescott in 1975.

Bill kept busy in his long, well-earned retirement, actually spending more years retired in Prescott than he did in the workforce. He was an excellent cook and loved nothing more than hosting and feeding his guests. He appreciated discovering the landscapes and wildlife of the Southwest, and he especially loved the many birds that waited for freshly-made waffles on his deck each morning. He was a life-long proponent of a healthy diet and regular exercise, and kept active by swimming and walking up to his last few years of life. Bill was a voracious learner and had a vast and ever-expanding library. He taught himself nine languages and was always learning more. He was also a lifelong amateur photographer who captured moments everywhere he traveled and had an enthralling story to accompany each photo. Bill was proud to serve his adopted country, and still donned his original WWII service uniform to celebrate every Veterans’ Day.

Bill was an inspiration to all who knew him, especially as he achieved his lifelong goal to see the turn of the century and then to live to be 100. He was always an overachiever and has surpassed even his loftiest goals by living to almost 107. On the occasion of his 100th birthday, with a lifetime of successes and incredible experiences spread before him, Bill stated that his most important accomplishment and treasure was his family. He was a man of firmly held convictions, and dreamed and achieved big dreams. He believed in quality over quantity, possibly invented the capsule wardrobe, and was true to himself in every situation. Bill’s life was filled with happiness, adventure, and the love of his family and friends.

Bill is survived by his loving wife, Karen; beloved daughters Anne-Marie (Jeff) and Christine (Jesse) and his four devoted grandchildren: Melanie (Dave), Jordan (Rachel), Jackson (Michelle), and Samantha (Logan). Bill is preceded in death by his parents Sliman and Aniseh, his sisters Lily, Frieda, Georgette, and Violet, and his brother George.

Visitation and funeral services will be held on Tuesday, August 23 at 11:00 a.m. at St. George Greek Orthodox Church. Bill will be interred with military honors in a private ceremony at the Pioneer Home Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Yavapai College Foundation - William and Karen Rizk Memorial Scholarship. www.yc.edu/williamrizk.