William (Bill) Wolf passed away at the home of his son, Peter and daughter-in-law, Marilyn, in West Seattle on June 13, 2009, four days after his 89th birthday.

He died peacefully in his sleep while holding the hands of those he loved and while waiting for other family members to arrive.

During the past two years his health declined as he struggled from the effects of working for his uncle at Union Asbestos and Rubber Company in the 1940s. To the end, he believed he “could beat” the effects of the asbestos in his lungs. He continued to exercise, work to “write an article” and finish a book. To the end he continued to challenge, charm and delight all the hospice workers and those who visited with his stories and theories on a multitude of subjects ranging from business management to the medical profession and his practice of Chi Gong.

During the past few years Bill became more involved in the South Whidbey community, enjoying his Quaker friends and playing chess at Rockhoppers. He would often wish that he could go to Whidbey on Sunday for the Quaker meeting and stay over for his Monday night chess game.

Born William Benjamin Wolf on June 9, 1920, he was the son of Meyer and Mabel (Cohen) Wolf.

Bill was very proud of his academic accomplishments and his contributions to the field of management. Bill received his bachelor of arts degree in economics, with highest honors, from the University of California, Berkeley, where he was captain of the wrestling team and inducted into Phi Beta Kappa.

While at Berkeley, he was an I.W. Hellman Scholar, as well as teaching assistant to Robert Aaron Gordon.

Bill received his MBA degree from Northwestern University (1945) and his doctorate’s degree from the University of Chicago (1954). He held a Carnegie Foundation Fellowship in 1949.

Bill taught all over the

world: Kyoto, Japan, University of New South Wales, Zhongshan University, Norwegian School of Management, Hiroshima National University, University of Hawaii and at the University of Washington. He retired from the Cornell University School of Industrial and Labor Relations, serving on its faculty from 1969–1982.

He was very involved with the Academy of Management organization and served as its president starting in December 1970. At that time the membership roster listed 1,500 names. Today the academy has 18,611 members in

109 countries. The emergence of the academy in its present-day form is one of Bill Wolf’s legacies.

A man who inspired Professor Wolf, as his many students affectionately called him, was Chester I. Barnard, (1886-1961) an early author of pioneering work in management.

Bill spent hours reading and writing about Barnard and was visited by Barnard’s granddaughter just a week before his death.

Bill leaves behind his three sons and their families, Peter and Marilyn, grandchildren, Ann and Simon; Steve, granddaughter, Sarah; and Richard and Mabelle, and granddaughters, Melissa and Olivia Wolf.

He was preceded in death by his wife, Anne MaComb née Peters, who passed away in 1968.

Memorial donations may be sent to the Wolf-Barnard Library c/o of Peter Wolf (4819 45th Ave. SW, Seattle, WA 98116-4416) or Patrick Cooley (4037 Francis Ave. N, Seattle, WA 98103-7728).

The family would like to thank all of our friends who supported us during these past months, and Providence Hospice of Seattle for its heartfelt care and love for Bill.

There will be a celebration of his life from noon to 4 p.m. on Saturday, July 18 at the Hall at Fauntleroy, 9131 California Ave. SW, Seattle, WA 98136. You are invited to join us to celebrate Bill’s life and remember his time with us.