Bill’s North Star – His God
“The first thing in life has got to be your God. Second is your family. And, if we do things right here, your Pulte family’s the third.”
Bill Pulte (2006)
Bill was a man nurtured by the love of God and whose goal was always to do the same for others….always. His core set of values didn’t leave room for second-guessing. His values of humility, honesty, integrity, and trust were uncompromising.
Bill was a daily communicant in the Catholic Church for nearly sixty years and went even when he was out of town. His eyes only saw the best in people, his heart forgave the worst, and his mind would forget the bad. And, when asked to speak about his faith, he would talk about the power of prayer. His soul was one that never lost faith in God. Bill would say that the prayers he prayed for weren’t always answered the way he wanted them to be, but looking back, he realized they were answered in a better way.
“From the one who has been entrusted with much, much more will be asked.”(Luke 12:48). This scripture verse was one of Bill’s guiding stars.
One time, when his adult children were interviewed, one of his daughters commented, “Dad’s life lesson 501 is we shouldn’t be so worried about what we can get out of something but be more worried about what we can give.” Another of Bill’s children said, “I think there’s a common thread from our dad. Dad is not a perfect man and has made mistakes, but there are common threads from the time we were small: Don’t worry who gets the credit, don’t sweat the small stuff, be fair, be a person of integrity, don’t lie, and give to others.”
When we think of people the world admires, whatever our spiritual or political inclinations, the commonality is that each has a sense of purpose. Their lives are dedicated to an ideal related to their own humanity and a more complete world. Bill Pulte was such a person. His legacy is undeniable. His beacon of light, bestowed upon him by God’s bountiful grace, will always shine for others to follow.
