William C. Hart

life story

What Bill Stands For

B - Books, Bright, Beloved, Brownies

I - Imagination, Illuminating, Impressive, Insightful, Invincible

L - Love, Laughter, Light, Lively

L - Lexical, Listener, Learned, Liberal

A man who touched so many hearts

William Hart (Bill) was born on December 24, 1954, to Margaret and Robert Hart in Detroit, Michigan. When he was six months old, the family moved to Duluth, Minnesota. He grew up in Duluth, attending Woodland Junior High, East High, and then UMD until 1978 when he moved to Minneapolis to continue graduate school education on the U of MN Twin Cities campus. He received M.A. in English in 1981.

Influenced by his father, late Professor of English Robert Hart, Bill developed a deep interest in Chinese culture, which resulted in his taking Chinese language classes at the University of Minnesota (U of MN), joining the first group of the U of MN students to study Chinese at Nankai University in Tianjin, China, in the summer of 1980. Because of his passion for language learning and teaching, he majored in linguistics with an emphasis on ESL (ELL), which eventually led him to the International Institute of Economic Management in Beijing to teach English to business professionals between 1981 and 1983. After he came back, he continued teaching English to refugees and immigrants, to public school students at various levels from elementary to high school in Minneapolis Public School.

Bill lived a remarkable life, overcoming formidable obstacles in his struggle with Crohn’s disease and providing inspirations for many. He did not let his health issues hold him back in his various pursuits, whether it’s education, career, social or personal life. He had an inquisitive mind, a strong desire to learn, and a wide interest in various subjects. What’s more, he had a great compassion for the less fortunate and a firm belief in social justice.

Bill was known to be gentle and friendly by all who came across his path: friends, neighbors, and even hospital staff. He always valued friendships, never stopped making new friends while staying loyal to his old friends.

Bill had a deep concern for the health of our ecosystem and strong conviction in environmental causes, with memberships to various environmental groups for many years. Even in his undergrad years, he worked on a report investigating how a filtration plant in Duluth worked to filter asbestos out of water, which was published as a feature article in Port Guardian in 1977.

Bill’s charming presence will be missed by many, particularly those who had the fortune to know him well.

A private celebration of life will be held at a place and time to be determined.

memorial service

Funeral/Cremation Provider: Crescent Tide Cremation Services