William Joseph Fleener

Fleener, Rev.

William Joseph

Muskegon, Michigan

The Rev. William Joseph Fleener Sr., age 93, passed away Wednesday, May 15, 2024. He was born in Amarillo, Texas, on March 28, 1931, to Frank and Claire Lockhart Fleener, and married Judy Wieland on October 14, 1961. Fr. Fleener graduated from Southern Methodist University and then from Berkeley Divinity School at Yale University. He served parishes in Texas and Illinois before coming to Muskegon in 1971. Fr. Fleener was the Priest at St. Gregory's Episcopal Church in Muskegon for over 20 years, after which he continued to serve multiple parishes in the area. Fr. Fleener was a very humble man who had a heart for the people who didn't always have a voice. In his younger days, he was involved with the National Organization for Women (NOW) and was a fighter for the downtrodden. He also enjoyed coaching a variety of youth sports. He served on the founding board of Every Woman's Place and as the business manager of the Episcopal Woman's Caucus. He was a strong advocate for the inclusion of all in the Episcopal Church, especially women and members of the LGBTQ+ community. Fr. Fleener was active for decades in youth camps for Episcopalians. Generations of campers remember him saying that the Christian community at camp was the real world and we were to make the rest of the world more like camp. A very generous man, he gave everything he had to the people he served.

SURVIVORS

Wife, Judith Fleener; 4 sons, William (Yvonne) Fleener Jr. of Grand Ledge, John Fleener of Whitehall, Mark (Virginia) Fleener of Nashville, TN, Gregory (Trisha) Fleener of Muskegon. 12 grandchildren, Sarah Fleener, Logan Fleener, Morgun Mclouth, Austin Fleener, Jared Fleener, Eryn Fleener, Alexandra Fleener, Trey Fleener, Mavrick Mclouth, Samantha Fleener, Tillman Fleener, Elisabeth Fleener; great-grandchildren, Adalynn, and John. He was preceded in death by his brother Tom and sister Dorothy.

SERVICE

A celebration of life will be held at St. Paul's Episcopal Church in downtown Muskegon on Monday, May 27 at 3:00 p.m. with The Rt. Rev. Bonnie Perry officiating. The interment will be in St. Gregory's Memorial Garden at a later date.

VISITATION

Visitation with the family will be from 12:30 to 2:30 before the service at St. Paul's Church.

MEMORIAL: In lieu of flowers, the family asks for memorial contributions to the Episcopal Youth Camp for the Episcopal Diocese of Western Michigan: https://www.episcopalyouthcamp.org/give.

Please visit www.clockfuneralhome.com to leave a memory or sign the online guestbook.