William R. "Bill" Hutchison Jr.

Bill, (Billy, Hutch), 74, lost his brief battle with cancer on Wednesday, August 27, 2025, at home in Carmel, IN. He was born in Chicago, IL, in 1951 to Dorrine Fay Hutchison (née Henley) and William Randle Hutchison, Sr., and was preceded in death by both. He he spent the first 54 years his life in Lansing, IL, attending T.F. South High School before joining the Navy in 1969. He later served the City of Lansing for 34 years, becoming a heavy equipment operator for the Public Works Department. Throughout his life he was an ardent musician and a great fan of rock and roll and the blues. He was a member of a number of bands as a guitarist, vocalist, and harmonica player, from his early teens into his retirement years. His most recent band, and the one he was part of the longest, was Lake Effect (“It’s Cooler by the Lake”) out of Northwest Indiana. One of their most memorable performances was at Navy Pier in the summer of 2002.

Bill met his wife, Maureen Ryan, in Chicago in 2002, and they married in 2006. They spent the first several years of their mid-life marriage DIY renovating their house in Lansing. Bill was a meticulous self-taught marvel, tackling everything from painting to refinishing to re-plumbing with copper to tile installation and electrical work. Maureen handled selections, planning, and procurement, as well as providing a second pair of hands. Miraculously, the marriage survived the renovation process, and lasted nearly 20 years.

A few of Bill’s other self-taught skills included building a motorcycle from scratch, unlocking the mysteries of computers, and eventually having a side business as a both web designer and webmaster. He also became very adept at digital photography.

After their retirement, Bill and Maureen relocated to Carmel, IN, where Bill continued to pursue his great love of nature photography. Everything was photo-worthy. His subjects ranged from tiny fungi, to expansive landscapes, to every type of flora and fauna, all artfully captured. His focus shifted to the intriguing variety of bird life after he made the acquaintance of local photographers, joining their own Facebook photo group, Indiana Birdography. They adopted Bill as one of their own and he counted a number of good friends among them.

Bill had close family connections as well as a wide circle of friends that he loved and cherished. They returned that care and affection, particularly in the last few months of his life. His ready smile, his helpful, generous, and sweet nature were his trademarks. His final days were eased by the kindness and care of the team from Brighton Hospice in Indianapolis, and as a family, we will be forever grateful for their support.

He is survived by his beloved wife, Maureen Ryan, his devoted sister, Denise (née Hutchison) Maravilla; his step-son Alex Hernandez, grand children Alexandra and Alex Sebastian Hernandez: nephews Matthew (Jessica) and Tony Maravilla; grandnephew Graham Maravilla; grandniece Natalie Maravilla; and great grandnephews Tristan and Aidan Maravilla; sister-in-law Sheila Riley (John); brother-in-law Chuck Ryan (Sheila): brother-in-law Kevin Ryan (Renée); his former wife Linda (née Ostrowski) Janiak, and multiple extended family members.

A Celebration of Life will be held on Saturday, October 25, 2025 at Calumet Park Funeral Chapel, 7535 Taft St., Merrillville, IN 46410, from 1 to 4 pm. Dress is celebratory casual.

In lieu of flowers, please consider making a donation to The Ornithology Center, Eagle Creek Park Foundation eaglecreekpark.org, or a favorite charity in his memory.