IRON MOUNTAIN - William A. Neumeier, 94, of Iron Mountain, passed away Monday, March 1, 2016, at the Oscar G. Johnson Veterans Hospital in Iron Mountain. He was born April 25, 1921, in Iron Mountain, son of the late John and Georgina (Mitchell) Neumeier. Bill graduated from Iron Mountain High School, Class of 1940. During his senior year, he won two Upper Peninsula State Championship Titles in two sports, Downhill in skiing and High Hurdles in track. He attended Northern Michigan University for two years until the outbreak of WWII. Bill joined the United States Navy in May of 1942, and served eighteen months in Belfast, Ireland. After receiving an unexpected leave, Bill returned to Iron Mountain and married his high school sweetheart, Rita Jean Buchanan in August, 1943. A month later he shipped out on the USS Sappho, a destroyer escort, as a machinist and underwater welder and worked at Pearl Harbor for a year, reassembling the heavily damaged naval fleet. Soon after the Sappho became part of a larger invasion force under General McArthur, steaming across the Pacific to invade Japan. However, when the war-ending bombs were dropped on Nagasaki and Hiroshima, his role changed to that of a post war Naval guard patrolling the bombed out harbors and cities thus witnessing the devastation the atomic bombs had on the country. Once stateside he became manager for Schultz & Birch Biscuit Co., in Marinette, Wis. then joined the family business, Mitchell Hardware, which his grandfather, William H. Mitchell had founded in the 1880s. He retired in 1976. Bill is survived by one son, John Neumeier, of Fort Wayne, Ind.; two daughters, Nancy Robinson, Battle Creek, Mich. and Cynthia Neumeier, New Port Richey, Fla.; nine grandchildren, Alexis (Jason),Sara (Jason), Mitchell (Angel), Raeanon, Buchanan (Kerri), Marilee (Anthony), Robin, Curtis and Riley and eleven great-grandchildren. In addition to his parents and his wife, Rita Jean, he was preceded in death by one sister, Barbara Piquette. Visitation will be held Saturday, March 5, 2016, from 11:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. at the Jacobs Funeral Home, Iron Mountain. The Funeral Service will be Saturday, 12:00 p.m. at the funeral home. Chaplain Robert Mueller will officiate. Military Honors will be accorded in the spring at graveside. Burial will be held in Cemetery Park, Iron Mountain on Friday, July 1, 2016 at 1:30 P.M. The family has chosen the Jacobs Funeral Home, Iron Mountain to honor Bill's Legacy of Life. You may light a candle in remembrance of Bill or leave a condolence for his family online at www.JacobsFuneralHomes.com.