SILAS, William (Bill) long time resident of Kettering, OH deceased at 91 years of age. 
He passed on Thursday, April 23rd, 2009 at Sunrise Senior Living in Ann Arbor, MI of 
natural causes. Bill was born on June 6th, 1917 at the home of his parents Velma Ujlaki 
Silas & Gabor Silas in Dayton, OH. He attended West Carrollton High School and 
graduated from Ohio State University in 1939. He received an MBA from Harvard 
University in 1941, and married Elizabeth Jane Hornstein on October 10th in Corpus 
Christi, TX later that same year. Bill was a self made man. He served his country with 
pride as a Naval officer on the USS Dayton in World War II and later in the Navy 
Reserves for 19 Years. He started his professional career as proprietor of the Silas 
Tavern with his father outside of the General Motors factory in Kettering, and later 
owned and operated the Red Horse Motor Inn for many years. Throughout his life he 
drove nothing but GM cars out of loyalty to the workers of the Kettering Plant who gave 
him his early start. Bill enjoyed working with his hands and working outdoors. For the 
majority of his life, Bill lived with his wife and family in one of the houses he built at 204 
West David Road in Kettering. He also enjoyed music and the saxophone, playing in 
five local bands including the Friday Nighters, the Centerville Civic Band, the Kettering 
Civic Band, and the Kettering Letter Carriers band. He was a member of the Kettering 
Rotary Association for many years and took pride in the contribution he made to the 
community there. Bill was known for his quick sense of humor and his love of family. He 
had a particular affinity for combining the two by showing family movies in reverse so 
that grandchildren would appear to run backwards. He was also often seen eating 
dessert both before and after meals. Bill is survived by his wife Elizabeth Jane Silas; 
his three daughters and their spouses Melanie & Jon Urbanchek, Nancy & Jeff Pascal, 
and Patricia Fortner; his grandchildren Kirsten MacKenzie, Leslie Shin, Evan Shin, 
Nicholas Fortner, and Alex Fortner; and his great-granddaughter Claire Silas 
MacKenzie. Bill is pre-deceased by his sister Elonka (Helen) Silas Kurpe. The 
service for friends and family will be held at 1:00pm on Saturday, April 25th in the 
Woodland Chapel at Woodland Cemetery. 118 Woodland Avenue - Dayton, OH 
45409. There will also be a private family viewing in the morning at 10:00am. 
Arrangements are being coordinated by Magetti-Gavin Funeral Home For more 
information please call 937-223-2962. Special thanks to the many folks who touched 
his life, particularly the many caregivers at Sunrise at North Ann Arbor who provided 
such loving care in his final years.  
Published in the Dayton Daily News on 4/24/2009 

1935