Obituary of William J. Kreidler

William John Kreidler
April 9, 1944 – June 13, 2025

William John Kreidler, 81, of Florham Park, New Jersey - formerly of Arizona and Southern California - passed away peacefully on Friday, June 13, 2025, after a long illness, surrounded by the love of his family.

William is survived by his beloved wife of 53 years, Linda Potts Kreidler; his cherished daughter, Wendy Kreidler Oliver, and her husband Joe Oliver; his treasured granddaughter, Juliet Oliver; his sister, Cindy Zimmerman and her husband Joe; niece, Nicole Bearup; grandniece, Reagan Bearup; and many dear friends and extended family members. He was preceded in death by his parents, William Clifford and Helen Dahmer Kreidler, and his brother, Kenneth Kreidler.

Born in Dayton, Ohio, on April 9, 1944, William proudly served in the U.S. Navy as a radar technician during the Vietnam War, where he developed the technical expertise that would shape his future career. After his honorable discharge, he worked at NCR for a decade, where he met and married the love of his life, Linda, on August 5, 1972. They welcomed their daughter Wendy while living in Ohio, where William also pursued his passion for horses - becoming a licensed Tennessee Walking Horse trainer and a well-known farrier.

William’s professional journey led him into the technology sector, where he held senior leadership roles at companies including SCI, Xerox, Archive, Sankyo Seiki, and ultimately FileNet, where he served as Senior Vice President prior to its acquisition by IBM. His career was defined by innovation, leadership, and a relentless drive to solve complex challenges.

A man of many talents and interests, William lived life to the fullest. He surfed, snowboarded, and biked; he played classical guitar, had a passion for collecting cars, and held a professional race car driver’s license - racing a Porsche Speedster. He also earned a 150-ton captain’s license for boating. Upon retirement, he and Linda fulfilled their dream of living part-time in Italy, spending over 15 years sharing their love of travel, wine, and the Italian lifestyle with family and friends.

William’s legacy is one of strength, intellect, passion, and deep devotion to those he loved. He will be remembered as a beloved husband, father, grandfather, brother, and friend—deeply missed by all who had the privilege of knowing him.

A Celebration of Life will be held on Saturday, September 13, 2025, from 11:00 AM to 2:00 PM at the Casa Loma Hotel in Laguna Beach, California.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in William’s memory to the Lewy Body Dementia Association.