Bill Maron
April 7, 1954 - August 20, 2017

"Lit a candle in memory of Bill Maron"

"Bill and I were in the same department at IBM for the first 4 years of our careers. I have so many good memories with Bill... if there was a project with a deadline and it took 20 hour days to make it, Bill was there leading the charge. I spent a few all nighters with Bill and the team, a few even with my baby daughter... We worked hard during our early years with IBM supporting NASA's Space Shuttle program and the infamous United Airlines project. We always had fun as a team. I am deeply saddened by the news of Bill's death, but I remember very well how much he loved his wife and daughter. He talked about them often and with such love and pride. It has been years since I last talked to Bill, but I have only good memories of the time we worked together."

"I met Bill back in the mid 1980s when I first joined IBM. He was our lead on a new opportunity. I remember Bill as a very smart guy and funny guy and great team lead. I'm still at IBM, but that job with Bill and the team was the best I can remember. We all had great camaraderie and fun together. Within the past couple years Bill called me because he saw an IBM anniversary posting and wanted to wish me Happy IBM Anniversary, but first he wanted to know did I remember who he was. Of course I did! I thought it was so cool for him to call and celebrate my milestone. Condolences to the family!"

"Reading his achievements, Huge thanks to Bill for all his contributions. Rest In peace Bill."

"I have known Bill for over 20 years. He was my friend, and mentor. He was and is, as long as we have memories, a special person that will be missed by myself and all the others that were blessed to know him. To Bills family, you have my thoughts and prayers during this heavy-hearted time of loss. Thank you for sharing this special person with the IBM family. You are missed Bill, from your old friend Chuck Gray"

"To Bill's family, I offer my sincere condolences. I had the pleasure to work with Bill in the IBM systems group performance team which covered four development sites. Bill visited them all repeatedly, helping on problems of the day, mentoring and working directly with both management & technical teams. His knowledge, enthusiasm, humor and passion for excellence helped all of us to be better engineers and better people. I loved one of his favorite phrases: "we are going to be data driven". It wasn't wishes or hopes, it was facts the data revealed that will guide you to the solution. - Joe Hyde"

"Sorry to hear and condolences to Bill's family. Miss you Bill - the performance guru, client advocate and a great IBM technologist. Ravi Singh"

"RIP, Bill."

"My sympathy to all of Bill's family. Bill was my "goto" guy for any questions related to partner and customer performance issues that would come my way. He always had so much patience with the sales team and myself as we tried to get to the bottom of "why isn't this performing as expected?" I'll miss him and his guidance, support, dedication, and humor. Rest in peace Bill."

"It has been over a decade and a half since I have worked with Bill but I remember him well and fondly. Bills work ethic and dedication are legendary. Bill was also a caring human who wanted the best for his team. I learned much from him and have deep respect for the way he approached his work. Bill was one of a kind. My thoughts and deepest condolences go out to his family. - Robert Dimpsey"

"I started to work with Bill only about 5 years ago. My first impression of him was on a trip I took to a customer site with him and another co-worker. I was on a different team at the time, but he was open and very humorous. On that trip he discussed with me his thought on some of the people that we had worked with in common, and how he was hoping to help his mentees. I heard him discuss with customers his love for working around his house in his tractor and being with his family. I also experienced his passion for his work in the performance area, and his concern for both his team as well as IBM's customers. He will be sorely missed. My prayers are with the family for strength and peace. Good bye, Bill. - Abraham Alvarez"

"I worked for Bill for seven years. Like many others, I owe my career to him. He offered me opportunities and challenges that nobody else would at that point. He believed in me more than I did. He was a tireless advocate for womens career development, at a time when few white males in a position of power and influence would or did. I have so many memories and stories about him, but what I most remember is how never-ending his optimism was. The way he treated others, and his integrity, inspired the loyalty of the people who worked for him in ways Ive never experienced before with other managers. And his sense of humor made the work environment fun. Julie, he was very proud of you. He once told me how he couldnt understand how parents could not be proud of their children, because your mom and he were so proud of you. I wouldnt have the life I have now, and the friends I have now, had it not been for Bill Maron."

"I had the tremendous honor to work with Bill for many years. He was not only a Distinguished Engineer, he was a distinguished human being. I depended on Bill's leadership for many decisions; but in his presence, I was most struck by his heart, his kindness, and his easy-going laugh. God does beautiful work, and I thank Him for the gift of Bill. Helene Armitage"

"For many people, their job is an obligation. For Bill, his job was a passion. His dedication to the discipline of computer systems performance, his team, IBM, and IBM's customers was remarkable and inspiring to me. Bill was like a basketball player that was tireless and always wanted to be in the game. My only regret for Bill is that he did not get to enjoy his retirement, because he truly earned and richly deserved that. My prayer for all that knew Bill is that we would have wonderful memories of his passion, wisdom, and wit as long as we live. Brian Twichell"

"Bill was one of the smartest men I have ever met but had the ability to always keep things in perspective about what was important (Life, Family & Country). I will miss him in the physical form but his lessons and laughs will forever live on."

"My condolences to the Maron family. Bill was a true and great IBMer and a better friend to all that knew him. I always enjoyed the times we worked together and valued the moments we spent discussing family, current events and the many projects we both had underway. Rest in Peace Bill. Prayers to the family. David Isenhour"

"For my entire career, I've been honored to work with Bill. His passion, dedication and grit continue to be an inspiration. I will truly miss him. Julie, My thoughts are with you and your family. Mark Nellen"

"In the last 20+ years I had the honor to interact with BIll on numerous occasions. It was always a pleasure to see the high standards Bill held, how he represented IBM to customers, his passion for doing the right thing and most importantly his can-do positive attitude! For me, Bill served as a role model for always looking at the bright side and in the process enjoying every moment of our life!! I will miss a dear colleague and friend. RIP."

"Julie, I'm broken-hearted for you. I too am an only child and lost my dad 2 years ago. Your dad was a great guy and I am proud to have known him. praying for you, hugs. Tracy schremp"

"I first met Mr. Maron when Julie and I were in college. We were going out on a Saturday night. Julie had come over to my house and my mom kept telling us to 'be careful, watch your drinks, don't talk to strangers or go off alone with them, etc...' Julie forgot her drivers license so we drove back to her house to get it when I had the privilege of meeting her parents. We told them about my mom's over protective speel and, without missing a beat, Mr. Maron made the most inappropriate, yet funniest comment (that I won't repeat but you remember Julie and Mrs. Maron) that left me laughing so hard for years to come. Julie, Mrs. Maron - I've loved seeing y'all over the years. Julie is like a sister to me, and I love y'all so much. Mr. Maron fought his battle with style, grace, and dignity. I know he loved y'all more than anything. You are in my thoughts and prayers and I am so sorry for your loss."

"I had the privilege of working with Bill between 1993 and 1997 as a member of the hardware performance team. I thought I worked hard until I learned in a casual conversation that he was usually at his desk a bit after 4 AM with a large coffee in tow. His enthusiasm, fresh and genuine every single minute of every day and his never give up attitude were infectious. He elevated myself and every other person around him and remained deeply caring of others. May his family be blessed with time to grieve and in time built up with a deep and rich tapestry of memories. Thank you, Bill! ~ Subra Balan"

"Bill was like our Big brother. He always took good care of his team. He made us laugh and there was no challenge that was impossible for Bill to solve. I admired his many qualities as a leader, more than anything else his courage. His colleagues at IBM will miss him a lot, specially his immediate team. My sincere condolences to Bill's family. Lilian Romero"

"I first met Bill in the 90s at an AIX release meeting. He was passionately reporting LADDIS numbers. I had no idea what he was talking about but I knew I wanted to work with him. Years later he hired me on his team best job I ever had. Bill was in the office long before 7am and I could hear him laughing as I got off the elevator. Every day was a great day to work at IBM. He inspired everyone to succeed and trusted you to get the job done. I loved hearing Bills weekend accomplishments which usually included mowing, moving dirt or building something. One Monday he reported putting wheels back on the double wide and moving it down the road away from the south Austin population explosion. He was so excited to have a bigger playground. Bill was very humble so we were more excited than he was when IBM promoted him to Distinguished Engineer. I was blessed to work on his team and learn LADDIS and far more. Until we meet again "

"Gee, I worked very closely with Bill for over 23 years. We were very friendly and pretty darn close, but he was a very private man -- really hard to call him a "friend". But be clear, he was the best colleague I ever had. We looked out for each other (him for me, more than the reverse) and worked together to make things better for power. As manager and a DE, his mantra was to "do good for his people". I sure as heck benefited from that approach. As an aside, he had the good (or bad?) attribute of acquiring amusing situations. I can think of many -- "this can not beeee" and our last trip together to Chicago where he witnessed a yoga exhitit through his hotel window -- uncensored. I miss you, Bill. My life was better with you!"

"Bill was a friend, philosopher and guide to me in my IBM career. Whenever he saw us, he always walked to us, asked how things are going and made us feel that the team and our work mean so much to him... we will miss him dearly... My deepest condolences to Bill's family and friends. -Basu."

"Thanks for sharing this wonderful personal story! Knowing Bill through my IBM lens and the excitement he showed at work every day, I could just imagine the smile on his face and the fun he was having with you."

"Bill once said to me, "This isn't going to be hard John - putting all of the instructions to fly a rocket around the moon and back in 64K [of memory] was hard." Bill helped us solve many difficult problems through the years and was a trusted advisor. It was my pleasure to have known and worked with him. My condolences to Bill's friends & family."

"So many memories and good things to say about Bill. In a nutshell, he was IBM First and foremost, he took care of people and his team. He was a mentor and helped many with their careers and finding the right job, advancement, and awards. He ensured that we had the tools we needed. He knew that "we were no better than our tools", so he worked to ensure that there was a tools team and tools were a part of the budget. By tools I mean special software programs to get us the data and info we needed to make decisions. He had a great work ethic. Bill was usually the first one in the office every morning. However he also made work interesting and used humor a lot to keep things fun. We are all blessed to have known and worked with Bill and we he will be deeply missed. I know he will be watching over all of us. RIP, Love Herman"

"Bill worked on my team several times in Houston and he was both frustrating and wonderful all in the same package all because he was so brilliant and dedicated. I can remember driving him home from work because he had worked way to many hours! I am saddened to hear that this terrible disease has managed to claim another great one! Rest In Peace dear friend and keep thatControl Center in the sky running!! Liz Poje"

"Thank you Bill for being an outstanding IBM citizen, and thanks to your family for supporting your during these many years. These best wishes below truly characterize the employee that you represented - someone who cared about our clients and our team members. Someone who shared their expertise for the benefit of all and someone who always upheld high standards. You will be sorely missed in many ways but we will all have you as a role model and in our memories. Sincerely, Jamie Thomas"

"One of my favorite memories of Bill is the time I joined him for a trip to the Austin Landfill. Which I know may seem oddhis joyful anticipation of arriving at the site seemed perplexing. But his excitement became increasingly contagious with every mile we drove. Macon, youre going to see some spectacular things, he assured me. The usual assortment of yardwork/landscaping debris packed the trailer Bill was hauling with his truck. This wasnt just cargo for which required tedious labor. For Bill, it was the price of admission to get into his favorite playground. Or, as he shared with me: The home of his second career after he retires from IBM! Being allergic to practically everything outdoors, Im not ideal company for the Landfill. However, upon our entering the site, I found it as compelling as Niagara Falls. Whats more: Having Bill as my tour guide made it all the better. Once we entered and drove deeper into the Landfill, we were surrounded by earth-moving equipment that towered like skyscrapers. Bulldozers and Excavators lurched like dinosaurs. Bill was all smiles and wonderment: God, that looks like fun! he said with every turn and twist through the dump-site. He explained the machinery, and the level of difficulty in managing equipment of that magnitudehe had certainly given it a lot of consideration. This was the essence of Bill: he infused joy and enlightenment in everything he encountered. Generous with his knowledge and time. Ill miss him as a father-in-law, a friend, fellow patron of Dos Equis beerand, yes, my Landfill guru!"

"I was talking to Bill, one fine IBM day, about career development. During that conversation he proposed meeting with my department and giving a presentation he had prepared on the subject. The room was packed. Bill was smiling. And he began his presentation by saying something along the lines of: Your probably wondering why I do this. At some point in my career, I realized that no matter who we are or how good we are we owe our success to others. I am saying that we stand on the shoulders of others. I feel it a moral obligation to repay all the help Ive received by helping others in turn. That is why I do this and why I ask each of you to remember this and give back whenever you can. Bill had a way of saying things that would just stay with you. That meeting was long ago, and though I dont remember much about career development, Ill never forget how he reached out that day and changed lives. Nicely done Bill."

"Bill is the epitome of strength and resiliency. I have a deep admiration for his courage. He is truly an inspiration. Bill always made time to mentor others at IBM and is responsible for the advancement of many of our careers. He always brought humor to every meeting, no matter how dire or serious the situation. We could always count on Bill to lighten the mood. He will be sorely missed. My sincere condolences to the family."

"My deepest sympathies to Bill's family. He will be missed by so many people he has touched. Since the day he retired I have missed stopping to see my friend whenever I was in Austin. His upbeat attitude was always an energizer. I am not sure how many times I have heard Bill say "Let's run the test and get the data, because the facts are the facts!" I'm sure you'll find a way to squeeze more performance from the systems in heaven. Rest in peace, we will miss you Bill."

"I am retired now but Bill use to walk past my desk every morning. Bill was always upbeat, always happy. He was a good man and God surely is going to enjoy Bill in heaven. God Bless his family."

"Made me smile ;-)"

"We sat in the big conference room on the 7th floor wading through a week's worth of status. One of the senior engineers presented a chart to Bill with a summary of his work. One aspect seemed strange to Bill so he ask to see the raw data. The engineer remarked he would need to find the spreadsheet because he didn't have on-hand. Bill continued to stare at him as an indicator to... well.. find it! As the engineer searched his hard drive for the spreadsheet, Bill turned to the rest of the attendees... "In God we trust... but the rest of yall gotta show me your data!""