William "Bill" Frank Seibert

William (Bill) Frank Seibert, 94, passed away peacefully on January 4, 2025, in Naples, Florida. Born on July 19, 1930, Bill entered the world in the historic neighborhood of “Little Germany” in South Philadelphia.

He was predeceased by his beloved wife of 75 years, Joan Irene Long Seibert, who passed on May 17, 2023; his parents, Charles and Martha Klein; his sister, Florence (Sissy) Gregg; and his brother Charles, who died before Bill was born. His father, a World War I veteran, passed away in 1936 when Bill was just six years old. Faced with heartbreaking circumstances, Bill’s mother made the difficult decision to enroll him in Girard College, a school for orphaned boys founded by Philadelphia philanthropist, Stephen Girard.

At Girard College, Bill found a second family among his classmates, whom he fondly called his “brothers.” Though the early days were challenging—he was only allowed to see his mother at Christmas and Easter and during the summer—Bill flourished. He excelled academically, graduating second in his class, and participated in various activities, including soccer, serving as editor of the Corinthian Yearbook, and acting as Treasurer for the Class of 1948, known as the “Hummers.”

It was during this time that Bill met the love of his life, Joan Irene Long, at a dance. As the story goes, Joan attended the dance with a renowned soccer player named Joe and spotted a young man in the corner of the room whose face was adorned with lipstick marks. On walking home, Joan inquired about this mysterious man, and Joe graciously revealed his name to be “Sib” and offered to make introductions. A couple of months later, on a chilly evening, Joan (or “Peaches” as he called her) and Sib shared their first kiss, beginning a lifetime of love that they often said “started with a cold nose.”

Bill and Joan built a beautiful life together, raising their eight daughters and living in various homes across Philadelphia, Blackwood, Haddonfield, Sea Isle City, Indialantic, and Naples. Known for their Midas touch in real estate (and with real estate licenses in hand), the couple often bought and sold properties, turning each one into a cherished family home before moving on to new adventures. One of those real estate adventures landed them in Brigantine, NJ where they invested in condos with and for their daughters; creating a legacy there as well.

Bill’s professional life was equally remarkable. He leveraged the skills he learned at Girard College to build a career as a nuclear power plant engineer, draftsman, and architect. Over his career, he worked for many Philadelphia-area companies, including The York Corporation, General Industries, DuPont (through All States), Philadelphia Electric, United Engineers, and Stone & Webster in Cherry Hill, NJ. Although he only had two years of college at Drexel University, Bill’s exceptional talent and leadership earned him the position of supervising a team of 290 mechanical engineers at Stone & Webster by the time of his retirement in 1985.

Following his retirement, Bill pursued his passion for design, working with his Girard brother and best friend, Brendan Beaumont, as an architect for hundreds of houses along the Jersey Shore. His ingenuity and craftsmanship introduced a unique style of “signature houses,” many of which can still be seen and appreciated today. This chapter of his career was his favorite, as he found great joy in leaving a lasting mark on the community through his work.

Throughout his life, Bill never forgot his cherished Alma Mater, Girard College. He and Joan visited the college at least once a year on Founders Day and donated money to the school to ensure its continued success. Recently, Bill was honored by the college for his philanthropy, specifically for his generosity in funding the creation of a state-of-the-art Iwall to be installed in the school’s Founders Hall. He took great pride in this honor and in the fact that two of his sons-in-law and his youngest granddaughter helped bring the project to fruition. It is through the Iwall that Bill’s legacy will continue to live on in the corridors of Girard College.

Although Bill’s life was extraordinary, he always said his most cherished roles were as a loving husband to his wife Joan and as a father. He often remarked that he was the luckiest man alive to have eight daughters. Bill jokingly said that every time they welcomed a new baby, he landed a new job!

Bill’s legacy lives on in the hearts of his eight daughters: Jacqueline Fessler (Michael-deceased), Kathleen Quigley (Richard-deceased), Joan Prassas (Ronald), Susan Steinberger (Gil), Darlene Keyser (Gary), Francine Loucks (Jim), Martha (Marcie) Steel (Rob), and Eileen Wambach (Bill). He is also survived by 27 grandchildren, 40 great-grandchildren, and 3 great-great-grandchildren.

Relatives and friends are invited to visit with Bill’s family on Saturday, January 11, 2025, from 9:30 to 10:45 a.m. at Christ the King Church, 200 Windsor Avenue, Haddonfield, NJ, where his funeral Mass will immediately follow at 11:00 a.m. Interment will take place at Haddonfield Baptist Cemetery in Haddonfield, NJ. Live-streaming of the funeral will be available on the church’s website at https://ctkhaddonfield.org/live-stream/.

In lieu of flowers, the family kindly requests donations be made in Bill’s memory to the Fund for Girard College, 2101 South College Avenue, Philadelphia, PA 19121.