By By SCOTT NOVAK / Niles Daily Star
NILES - Former Niles resident William D. "Bill" Woolverton died July 1 due to injuries sustained while competing in the Pacific Crest Half-Ironman Triathlon on Saturday, June 25 in Sunriver, Ore.
Woolverton was a 1979 graduate of Niles High School. He spent two years as an elite member of the Young Americans choir.
Woolverton attended Purdue University and received a bachelor's degree in biology in 1984.
Woolverton earned his master's degree in health care administration from Ohio State University in 1987.
Woolverton worked from 1987 to 1990 for the Medical College of Pennsylvania in Philadephia as an assistant vice president, responsible for numerous non-clinical patient support services.
From there he moved to Chicago and was vice president of operations at Northwestern Memorial Hospital until 2000.
While in Chicago, the former high school quarterback, honor roll student and active member in Niles High School drama productions, met his wife Linda, whom he married in 1993.
The couple had three children, Sarah, Meredith and Alex, all of Portland, Ore.
In 2000 Woolverton began the Northwest regional vice president and chief operations officer for the Renal Care Group, whose headquarters are in Nashville, Tenn.
Woolverton was responsible for the management of renal care centers in Oregon, Washington, Alaska, Montana and Idaho.
Renal Care Group has facilities throughout the United States.
Woolverton is the son of Hugh and Betty Lou Woolverton of Granger, Ind. Woolverton has a brother, Dr. Hugh (Susan) Woolverton of Rehoboth, Mass. and two sisters, Dottie (Jim) Wells of Roth, Calif. and Sarah (John Herbert) Woolverton of Boston, Mass.
Woolverton died July 1 from his injuries sustained during the swimming portion of the triathlon at Charles Memorial Hospital in Bend, Ore.
The funeral Mass was held July 9 at St. Pius X Catholic Church in Portland.
A local memorial service is being planned according to his mother Betty Lou.