Dr. William M. "Bill" Morrissey, 63, of Woodstock, IL, passed away unexpectedly on Tuesday, September 28th at home.

Born on August 3, 1958 in De Pere, WI, he was the son of Barbara (Gallo) and the late William F. Morrissey. He was raised in Kenosha.

Bill attended Michigan State University and graduated with his Doctor of Veterinary Medicine in 1984. During his time at Michigan State, he decided to specialize in large animal veterinary medicine, a career path he would dedicate his life to for more than three decades.

On March 26, 1983, he married the love of his life, LuAnn Pillizzi, at Our Lady of the Holy Rosary Catholic Church. Together, they raised two wonderful children, Olivia and Lucas.

In his work as a large animal veterinarian, Bill maintained the health of livestock, making house calls and often diagnosing problems in farm pastures or barns. It was a dirty job, but Bill didn't mind. He viewed veterinary medicine as his life's purpose, and even after more than 30 years of practice, still deeply loved the work he did every day. He was the owner of Farm Animal Veterinary Service, and proudly served the agricultural community across the state of Illinois. Bill especially loved supporting the McHenry County Fair as the fair veterinarian for 21 years. He truly cherished the longstanding relationships he built with farming families in the community.

When he wasn't working, Bill enjoyed spending time with his beloved family and watching Chicago Cubs and Green Bay Packers games. He was an avid sports fan, reader, and history buff with an almost encyclopedic knowledge of the world around him.

Bill leaves behind a legacy of love for family and friends, and compassion for all creatures great and small. His presence, whether at home or on the many farms he paid visits to, will be forever missed.

Survivors include his wife and children; a younger brother, Dr. Michael (Meghan) Morrissey of Danville, CA and their children, Devin and Erin Morrissey; his mother , Barbara Morrissey of Kenosha; an uncle, Tim (Sharon) Morrissey of Richmond, VA; and many loving cousins and extended family.

In addition to his father, Bill was preceded in death by his younger brothers, Mark and Robert; his paternal grandparents, William L. and Mary Morrissey; his maternal grandparents, Michael and Olivia Gallo; and two aunts, Charlotte Sepanski and Patricia Kropp.

Service Details

Private visitation and a Mass of Christian Burial was held Saturday, October 23rd at St. Mary Catholic Church. The family would like to extend heartfelt thanks to all the family, friends and members of the agricultural and veterinary communities who have reached out with care and compassion in the devastating time since Bill's sudden passing. Their love, empathy and strength is the truest reminder of the light that still exists, even in the darkest of times.