09 May William G. Lapsley
William Gerald Lapsley died March 25, 2025 in Salt Lake City, Utah of natural causes. Bill, as he was known, was born December 25, 1943, in Los Angeles, California during World War II, to William Frank and Lois Julin Lapsley. He moved to Salt Lake City in 1953 when his parents divorced and initially lived with his grandparents Zeniph Joakim and Maud Jensen Julin at 1205 East South Temple, his grandparents’ home. Bill attended Wasatch Elementary, Bryant Junior High, and the then new Highland High School, (3rd graduating class). He also attended classes at the University of Utah but never graduated, a personal regret. Bill served in the Utah Air National Guard during the Vietnam War, from October 13, 1963 to October 12, 1969, attaining the rank of Staff Sergeant. Bill met and married the love of his life, Mary Ann Schepler on December 19, 1969 at St. Mark’s Episcopal Cathedral.
Bill was a banker. He began his banking career on March 20, 1962 as a messenger for Tracy-Collins Bank & Trust. He worked in the proof and transit, bookkeeping, teller departments before going through the mortgage lending, installment and commercial lending training, becoming the branch manager for the Main Office before he was 30 years old. He was promoted to Vice President, where he headed the Planning and Systems Group, which designed and implemented the first fully operational on-line banking system in the nation in 1977, working with Systematics Company of Little Rock, Arkansas and Bunker Ramo Corporation out of Trumbull, Connecticut. The same occurred with the ATM on-line network working with Docutel Corporation, Dallas, Texas, where Bill sat on their National Customer Advisory Board. Planning and Systems was also responsible for identifying, constructing, and opening all branches of the bank, including all federal or state regulatory requirements, county or city approvals and licenses. Bill was also directly involved in the selection and installation of the first on-line, real time, automated Trust accounting system, called the Bankers TrustMaster system. After 20 years with Tracy-Collins, its ownership changed and Bill resigned concurrent with the approval of the change by the Federal Reserve Bank in Washington, D.C. Bill went on the become President and Chief Executive Officer of Pioneer Bank, a smaller locally owned bank that needed a management overhaul. After restoring profitability to Pioneer, he oversaw the sale of the bank to the new owners and he retired from his banking career after 27 years.
After 3 years of retirement, Bill was called into public service where he became the Director of the Solitude Improvement District, a Special District in Big Cottonwood Canyon. Bill established the organizational structure, business discipline and the fulfillment of the operational goals of the District, retiring December 13, 2005 after 13 years of public service. Bill was also President of the Silver Fork Pipeline Corporation from May, 1988 to May 1998, a privately- owned water company in Big Cottonwood Canyon. Under his leadership, significant improvements in the water source, storage and delivery systems occurred as well establishing a business discipline for record keeping and compliance requirements.
Bill was a member of St. Marks Episcopal Church. He was also a Freemason. Bill was a Past Master and Trustee of Mt. Moriah Lodge No. 2, F. & A. M. Of Utah, and 32° Scottish Rite mason, a member of the Salt Lake York Rite Bodies, and a Noble of the Mystic Shrine, El Kalah Temple, A.A.O.N.M.S. Bill was a Director and Treasurer of the Masonic Temple Association, 650 East South Temple, Salt Lake City, Utah from June 22, 1982 until September 30, 1991. He was a Trustee of the Masonic Foundation of Utah from February 7, 1992 until February 4, 2005 with additional principal responsibilities as portfolio manager. He received the Hiram Award from the Grand Lodge of Utah on March 19, 2005. Bill was a Senior DeMolay, Salt Lake Chapter, receiving his Initiatory Degree November 11, 1959. He was Vice President and Treasurer of the Masonic Cemetery Association-Mt. Olivet Cemetery.
Bill served his country as Vice Chairman of Local Board 19, Selective Service System for 10 years. He was Charter President and a Director of the Kiwanis Club of Olympus-Salt Lake City, the first new club in Salt Lake City in 25 years when it was formed as a breakfast club in 1972 with a one hour limitation on its meetings. Bill was the first to introduce a resolution getting to the International Convention floor in Montreal, Canada in 1973 to allow women to join Kiwanis Clubs. Bill was also a member of the Salt Lake Area Chamber of Commerce, serving on various committees, a former Director of the Salt Lake Jaycees, and Senior Associate and past Director of the Mountain States Chapter of Robert Morris Associates (a bank commercial loan officers organization), Past President of the Salt Lake Bank Officers Association, a member of the American Institute of Banking and a former Treasurer and member of the intermountain Region, Porsche Club of America. Bill was a member of and Past State Vice President of the Utah Society, Sons of the American Revolution. He was a member of the Salt Lake Chapter of the Utah Old Time Fiddlers and Country Music Association.
Bill’s interests were wide and varied; he liked antiquarian books, playing bridge, genealogy, travel, skiing, the study of law, history, formula one auto racing, cooking, picking his five string Gibson banjo and good friends.
He is survived by his wife Mary Ann, daughter Jennifer (James) and their children Leif and Greta, son Sean (Michelle) and their daughters Ellie and Maddie, half sisters Lynn D. (Myron), Calleen, Becky, half brother Dennis, and numerous cousins and nephews.
It was Bill’s desire to be an organ donor and for his remains to be cremated. A funeral service is planned for Friday, May 16, 2025 at 12:00 p.m. at the Masonic Temple, 650 East South Temple, Salt Lake City, Utah, Colonial Room. The service will be conducted by the Officers and members of the Mt. Moriah Lodge No. 2, F. & A. M. of Utah, Joseph Hardy Sanders III, Worshipful Master. A visitation is planned for one hour prior to the service. Interment will be at Mt. Olivet Cemetery, 1342 East 5th South, Salt Lake City Utah.
In lieu of flowers, memorial donations can be sent to the Intermountain Unit, Shriners Hospital for Children, 1275 E Fairfax Road, Salt Lake City, Utah 84103.
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