Thanks to a generous $225,000 gift from the estate of William (Bill) Faubel, who passed away peacefully in December 2023 at age 103, the Agnesian HealthCare Foundation will continue its support of SSM Health at Home Hospice services in Fond du Lac and Green Lake. SSM Health at Home Hospice is a program for individuals with a limited life expectancy. An interdisciplinary team works with patients and their families, dealing with their physical, emotional, social and spiritual needs, at a time when a curative approach to care is no longer available. Through skillful pain and symptom management and the supportive services of a professional and volunteer team, every effort is made to provide comfort and to enhance the quality of life for patients and families, enabling them to live as fully as possible. SSM Health at Home Hospice, in the Fond du Lac and surrounding communities, averages 165 patients receiving care at any given time with 41 percent receiving financial assistance for the length of their care. The average cost of care at $300 per day. “We appreciate the generosity of Bill and his family, for this incredible support that will help us continue to meet the growing need for hospice care in our communities,” according to Kim Laws, Agnesian HealthCare Foundation director of development and interim leader. “Bill was very supportive of the communities where he lived and left an example of selfless giving. We have an outstanding team of caring providers that help our patients and their families through a difficult time guiding them through every step of this final journey.” “Uncle Bill” – as known by his nieces and nephews, as well as many great and great-great nieces and nephews – was a funny, low-key man who was very family oriented, according to his niece Polly May. “We were very fortunate to have Uncle Bill as part of our family,” Polly says. “He was an extraordinary man. He was very poor growing up and worked hard to earn everything he achieved in life. He was most proud to be a veteran, including being a part of an Old Glory Honor Flight in 2010.” Bill was born on November 26, 1920, the youngest of four siblings. He was raised in Fond du Lac and graduated from Goodrich High School in 1939. After graduation, Bill worked for Canvas Products until he joined the Army Air Corps in 1943 and was stationed at Fort Sheridan. Following basic training, he was assigned to the 435th Troop Carrier Command, 75th Squadron, where he served in ordinance. His squadron dropped paratroopers on D-Day and pulled gliders into France. Bill was discharged on September 16, 1945.
Upon returning to the U.S., Bill worked at Briggs and Stratton in Milwaukee for a year, then came back to Fond du Lac and worked for Blakely Auto Parts for 12 years. In 1958, he started Appleton Crankshaft Service, eventually selling his business to two employees. After 100 years of independence, Bill moved to Woodlands Senior Park in 2021. While a resident, Bill received care from the SSM Health at Home Hospice team when he started to experience upper respiratory concerns. “At the recommendation of Dr. Lisa Weber, an SSM Health long-term care physician, hospice caregivers started seeing Bill to help with his breathing difficulties,” Polly shares. “Within a month, he was getting better, and hospice care was needed less frequently. During his last three months, hospice care was needed more often and it was exactly the type of care he needed. Thanks to the partnership between Woodlands and SSM Health hospice, Uncle Bill was able to stay at the same place, and regular communication between both parties ensured he was receiving the right care at the right time.” The blending of care was helpful so Bill could continue to receive services from individuals he already knew and trusted. “As a family, we were happy that Uncle Bill was able to stay where he was, and get the attention he required,” Polly explains. “We found and appreciated that hospice was more than the physical care they offered, but also the support they provided to us as a family. “One of the initial requests we made was to see if there was a military honor service that could be made available,” Polly adds. “The good news is that hospice offers a We Honor Veterans program, and a chaplain quickly made it happen. Uncle Bill received a quilt made by a volunteer and they knew how to best have Uncle Bill share his military experience. The service was very low key but very emotionally supportive.” We Honor Veterans – a program of the National Hospice and Palliative Care Organization (NHPCO) in collaboration with the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) – focuses on providing care to veterans through a pioneering program focused on respectful inquiry, compassionate listening and grateful acknowledgment. By recognizing the unique needs of America’s veterans and their families, community providers can help guide them through their life stories toward a more peaceful ending. Bill’s donation to the Agnesian HealthCare Foundation and other nonprofit organizations came as no surprise to his family. “He was always a role model for his family,” Polly says. “He was very much locally oriented and was supportive of his family and many charities throughout the years.” The Agnesian HealthCare Foundation, a charitable tax-exempt organization, exists to accept, acknowledge and invest charitable gifts, grants and bequests to help meet the many health care needs of the people and communities served by SSM Health in the greater Fond du Lac area. To donate, visit agn-foundation@ssmhealth.com or call 920-926-5418.
