William S. Rule

William S. Rule
December 25, 1924 – March 16, 2018

Bill was born in Los Angeles on December 25, 1924 and died peacefully at his home in Carlsbad, California on March 16, 2018. He was 93 years old.
He earned his B.A from Stanford University in 1948 and his MBA from Harvard University in 1950. Bill lived most of his life in California, leaving the state only for the war and graduate school. He was born in Los Angeles but moved along with his brother Rey and sister Peggy to Rancho Santa Fe, California. Bill often spoke of his childhood on the ranch. Riding his horse to the one room school house and going to the beach at Del Mar. He followed his brother to Harvard Military
Academy (now Harvard Westlake) in Los Angeles for high school. He graduated and started Stanford in the summer of 1942.

Bill was a member of the greatest generation. By February of 1943, he, like most of the men of that time, enlisted in the army. He told of his army life as a series starts and stops in various programs as the army was figuring out what was needed. He finally landed in France and was sent from the replacement depot to Patton's Third Army. He fought in World War II, serving in the European theater from early 1945 until the end of hostilities and as part of the Army of Occupation until February 1946.

After the war, he returned to Stanford to complete his degree in economics. While there he met Nancy Norton from Los Gatos, California. They got engaged and married after his graduation and spent their honeymoon driving across the country to Boston so he could attend Business School.
Following graduation from Harvard, Bill and Nancy returned to Southern California where Bill began working in Industrial Relations for Van Kamp Seafood in San Pedro. They built a house in Portuguese Bend and had two sons, Robert (born 1958) and Steven (born 1960). As a family they enjoyed skiing, horseback riding and tennis. Nancy passed away in 1967.

Bill remarried in 1969, marrying Mary Taylor. The family remained in Portuguese Bend until 1979 when Bill and Mary moved to Whispering Palms near Rancho Santa Fe where Bill grew up. Bill and Mary enjoyed golf and travel, living on the seventh fairway of the Whispering Palms (now Morgan's Run). Mary passed away in 1991 but not before they discovered and bought property in Black Butte, near Bend, Oregon.
Not wanting to live alone, Bill re-married again, marrying Leanne Talbot in late 1991. Leanne and Bill split time between Black Butte and Whispering Palms finally settling back in Rancho Santa Fe in 1996. Leanne passed away in late 2001.

Again, Bill re-married, marrying Mary MacDonald in early 2003. Introduced to Mary by his brother Rey and sister-in-law Ann, Bill and Mary enjoyed time together playing tennis as well as activities around the Ranch. Mary passed away in July 2007.

By this time Bill had moved into an apartment at La Costa Glen in Carlsbad, California. At La Costa Glen, on the tennis courts, he met Della Foulks. Bill and Della enjoyed time together travelling to Yosemite, playing tennis and all the activities at La Costa Glen. They also enjoyed spending time with Della's daughter Jody and granddaughter Ella. Della passed away in 2011.

Bill enjoyed a nearly 20 year career with Van Camp Seafood (later acquired by Ralston Purina), but decided to leave when a transfer to St. Louis was offered. After a few years with Garrett Air Research in a similar role, he decided to enter the field of labor arbitration, mediation and fact finding. He was very successful and practiced until well into his 70's. Several of his decisions were published. He was a longtime member of the American Arbitration Association. He was very proud of being inducted into and being active in the National Academy of Arbitrators including being a member of their Board of Governors. He was recognized recently as being a member for 40 years.

Throughout his life, Bill enjoyed golf, tennis, skiing, travel and reading spy and mystery novels.

Bill is preceded in death by five wonderful woman. Nancy Norton Rule, loving mother to Bob and Steve Rule, who passed away in 1967. Mary (Taylor) Rule, who passed away in 1991, Leanne (Talbot) Rule, who passed away in 2001, Mary (MacDonald) Rule, who passed away in 2007 and Della Foulks, who passed away 2010. He was also preceded in death by his sister Peggy (Rule) Faison and his brother Rey Rule.
He is survived by his sons, Robert and Steven, his daughter-in-law Marti Hirsch Rule, his grandson Sean Norton Rule, his granddaughter Melissa McGill Rule, his sister-in-law Ann Rule and his nieces and nephews; Peggy (Rule) Meyer, Pam (Rule) Sullivan, Peter Rule, Yates Faison, David Faison, Sally Faison and Anne (Norton) Ayer.

A graveside service is being planned by the family. In lieu of flowers the family asks that gifts be made to the San Diego Zoo in memory of Bill, San Diego Zoo, PO Box 120551, San Diego, CA 92112 or online at http://zoo.sandiegozoo.org/content/memorial-and-tribute-gifts.