LEAKOIL Forum

William “Bill” Webner, 77, of Elyria, passed away peacefully at home in the early morning hours of surrounded by his loving family on Tuesday, November 4, 2025. He was born in Elyria on April 21, 1948 and was a proud graduate of Elyria High School. Bill built a life rooted in hard work, loyalty, and genuine friendship. He married the love of his life, Pamela Jo (nee: Wilczak), and together they shared a home filled with warmth, laughter, and countless memories.

Bill had a lifelong passion for cars, especially Volkswagens. He turned that passion into a thriving business, Derwagonwerks, where he poured his talent and dedication into working on all makes and models. His love for craftsmanship extended beyond engines, as he also took great pride in upholstering everything from car seats to bar stools. For Bill, Volkswagens were more than vehicles, they were a lifestyle and a community. He was an active and proud member of Leakoil, the local VW owners club, where he formed lasting friendships and lived out his enthusiasm for the VW world.

Bill was a friend to many, always ready with a helping hand or a kind word. His presence filled a room, and his generosity and spirit made a lasting impact on those fortunate enough to know him. It is hard to imagine life without Bill, and his absence will be deeply felt by family, friends, and the community he loved so well. His legacy will live on through the stories shared, the lives he touched, and the unmistakable rumble of a Volkswagen engine on a quiet afternoon.

Survivors include his beloved wife; son, Andrew (Jessica); grandson, Benjamin; sister, Sue Hinds; nephews, Karl (Shannon), Russell (Kayla), Nick (Maria); niece, Anna (Paul); and sister-in-law, Crissy Wilczak. He is preceded in death by his parents Richard and Olga (nee: Sclay). A celebration of life will be announced at a later date. To honor Bill, pour a shot of tequila and toast to the lots of memories we share.

Online condolences may be expressed to the family at www.laubenthalmercado.com. Arrangements entrusted to Laubenthal Mercado Funeral Home in Elyria.

https://www.laubenthalmercado.com/obitu ... ill-Webner

Kirk, thanks for posting this nicely written tribute to Bill.

Bill is one of those kind of guys that many consider one of their their best friends - he made all of us feel welcomed and appreciated.
Only God knows how many people he helped in so many ways - and not just with their cars.
He did a great job of being LEAKOIL's mild-mannered leader, and will, of course, be missed by all of us.

Thanks for everything Bill.

We did a shot of tequila on Put In Bay in honor of Bill last night. Josh was kind enough to share a bottle that Bill gave him as a gift from one of his many trips to Mexico. As we all know, tequila was Bill’s drink of choice. Often times pouring out a shot glass for everyone as they were sitting around the fire. This just exemplified his generosity.

Here’s another one to Bill.

Rest in peace Bill. You will be missed.

I have been a friend of Bill’s for over 4 decades. The first time I met him I remember seeing his green bus parked at his old shop near Ridge Tool. I had a green bus as well, so I knocked on his door and introduced myself. We became fast friends, being only a few months of age apart, and shared a love of our Westy’s. Over the years I have spent countless hours at his shop, and I have witnessed his amazing talents with the work that passed through his shop. He never advertised, but had to turn work away because of his reputation. He showed so much compassion for everyone who had a problem, customer or not. He was receiving so many calls, emails, and texts from people about events around 2008, that I ask him if I could build a discussion forum and link it to my domain. He said yes and leakoil forum was born, and a core group of members built it the rest of the way to what it is today, 443 members! Bill was the catalyst who nurtured and grow this group, for that we can all be grateful.

They say that one of the hardest things about growing old is that eventually you lose all your friends, this friend is going to be one of the hardest. We can”t replace him, but we can enjoy the memories. “Go Rest High on that Mountain”, Bill.

Song written by; Vince Gill, one of Bill”s friends from when he was the sound man for Pure Prairie League.

Bill quietly taught integrity by example, showing kindness as a priority over proving he was right.

Bill was true gentleman. So kind to any new member of Leakoil, which was +20 years ago for us when we moved back to Ohio from Seattle in our '91 Westy. Leakoil became a catalyst for Carol and I in making new friends. Bill and Pam touched so many lives with their kindness and friendship.