William John Kusner

William “Bill” John Kusner, 88, died on May 15, 2026 in Sedona, AZ. Born on January 16, 1938 in Chicago IL. Bill lived a life marked by dedication – to his family, country and community.

Bill is survived by his wife of 59 years, Justine, his daughter, Ruth Potts, son in law, Michael Potts, and grandson Luke Potts, as well as son Jon Kusner, daughter in law, Anne Brahic, and granddaughter Lucie Kusner. Bill is preceded in death by his parents, Frances and John Kusner, and his sister Janet Kusner.

Bill was an engineer through and through and that curiosity and inquisitive nature allowed him to understand anything technical. Bill had a superpower that enabled him to fix almost anything from the simple to the complex.

Born in Chicago, Bill attended Lane Tech High School and graduated with an Electrical Engineering degree from the Illinois Institute of Technology where he was a member of the Eta Kappa Nu and Tau Beta Pi and in the ROTC.

Upon graduation, Bill joined the Airforce and was promoted to 2nd Lt, Radar Officer. Bill was stationed in Biloxi, Mississippi & Mt. Laguna, California from 1959 – 1962.

Bill spent his entire 35-year engineering career at the Bell System. From 1962 to 1997 Bill held various roles at Bell Labs, Illinois Bell, New York Bell and eventually Ameritech.

It was at New York Bell in lower Manhattan that Bill’s curiosity was piqued by a nearby construction site, the World Trade Center Twin Towers. During lunch one day in 1971, Bill and a colleague decided to take it upon themselves to explore the work being completed on the upper floors of the WTC. Assimilating and looking like engineers that they were, Bill and his colleague walked onto the construction site, took the elevator to the 83rd floor, and scouted out the open, window-less construction zone uninterrupted. Bill’s lasting takeaway from that day was simple: there was not a bad view in the entire building.

In 1993, Bill and Justine left the cold of the Chicago suburbs and moved to the Red Rocks of Sedona. It was there that he and Justine embraced all the wonders of Sedona’s vibrant community. From hiking different trails each week to becoming a local leader with Keep Sedona Beautiful, Friends of the Forest, and the National Scenic By Way, Bill truly became a steward of the land leaving an imprint upon the beautiful Red Rocks that inspire so many.

In his final years, Bill resided as Sedona Winds Assisted Living and loved working daily on puzzles ranging from 200 to 2000 pieces.

Bill enjoyed a daily walk and a good Manhattan. In the very near future, please honor his memory with a walk and a drink. He’d enjoy that!

Service:

Funeral Mass will be held on Friday 6/26/26 at 10:00 am at St. John Vianney Roman Catholic Church, 180 St. John Vianney Lane, Sedona, AZ 86336, followed by a simple reception in the church hall. Burial at the Sedona Community Cemetery will be private.

In Bill’s honor, in lieu of flowers, please make a donation to either Friends of the Forest at Friends of the Forest Sedona or Keep Sedona Beautiful at Memorial Gift – Keep Sedona Beautiful. If payment by check is preferred, make check payable to Keep Sedona Beautiful, 360 Brewer Rd., Sedona, AZ 86336. Your generosity to these Sedona based non profits is appreciated.