William Gilbert Benallack was born to Gladys and Leonard Benallack in Streator, Illinois in 1929. In 1934 the family, including his elder sister, Grace Charlotte, moved from Streator to Herald Harbor, Maryland where Bill was nurtured in a three generation home. When he wasn't in school, his days included hunting, fishing, trapping, and sailing on and around the Severn River. He graduated from The King's College, in Delaware and did graduate study at the University of Delaware and Johns Hopkins. In the early 1950's he served four small Methodist churches as a student pastor.

In 1952 he married Velma Farthing of Streator. In 1953 they moved to Wheaton, Illinios, where he attended Wheaton Graduate School of Theology. During his third year, he accepted a call to become part-time pastor of a Baptist Church in Lockridge, lowa while he finished his last year of theological training. He was ordained in that church in 1958. Son, Jonathan was born in Fairfield, to become the idol of the congregation.

The First Baptist Church of Rhinelander, Wisconsin called him to be their pastor in 1959. A second son, Mark, was born in Rhinelander. While serving as pastor in Rhinelander, the National Council of Churches hired him to work with migrant farmworkers in Wisconsin during the summer. In 1966 the Michigan Council of Churches offered him the opportunity to serve on the staff as director of Migrant Ministry.

In 1971 Bill went to work for the State of Michigan. In the next 23 years he served in the the newly formed Office of Manpower, the Office of Community Services, and the Commission for the Blind. In that time he and Velma divorced.

In 1982 Bill married Sylvia Galvan and helped raise her daughters, Anna and Adela.

Study at The King's College and Wheaton's School of Theology produced a very conservative, literalist pastor. Independent study led him in a different direction through the social gospel and neo-orthodoxy to liberal religion. Bill found a new church home in the Unitarian Universalist Church.

Bill enjoyed flying light aircraft, fishing and working with wood. But in later years, he loved most to attend auctions and sneak his newly acquired treasures into the house.

He leaves behind: his wife, Sylvia; two sons, Jonathan and Mark; two step-daughters, Anna and Adela; seven grandchildren; three great-grandchildren; and many friends.

The family asks that in lieu in flowers, donations be made in Bill's name to:

Unitarian Universalist Church of Greater Lansing
5509 S. Pennsylvania Avenue
Lansing, MI 48911

or

The Greater Lansing Food Bank
P.O. Box 16224
Lansing, MI 48901

Memorial Service information is as follows: