William O. Thrailkill (Bill), a longtime resident of Rochester, VT, passed away peacefully on Saturday, February 26, 2022, at the Arbours of Shelburne. Bill, who was 87 years old, lived a rich and interesting life. He was a man of many talents with a keen mind, tremendous creativity, and a sense of humor that he maintained to the end.

After graduating high school in Indiana, he served our country in the Naval Reserves for several years.  He attended Purdue University, earning a BS in Physics, graduating with Honors. He then pursued various occupations ranging from engineering and marketing in the Defense Industry to ownership of a restaurant and construction company. His final business venture was the founding and development of Advanced Illumination, a Rochester, VT-based company specializing in the development and manufacture of LED lighting for the Machine Vision industry worldwide. A Member of the Rotary Club, he reluctantly retired at the age of 81 after over 20 years of dedication to his business and community.

Bill loved to travel, whether for business or pleasure, and had a passion for flying his airplane. He enjoyed good food and good music and especially loved attending Bluegrass Festivals in his RV with his beloved Jack Russell terrier.

Bill is survived by his 3 children, 6 grandchildren, and 3 great-grandchildren.  He will be missed by his friends and his family.

A memorial service will be held in Rochester in the spring.