The chairman of the Community Development District 2 Board of Supervisors is being remembered as a gentle giant who enjoyed getting involved and helping residents.
Bill Schikora, 82, died peacefully at his home Sunday morning in the Village of Santo Domingo.
Standing 6 feet 8 inches tall, Schikora was an imposing figure. However, he thoroughly enjoyed reaching out to residents and helping them navigate the sometimes confusing system of government in The Villages.
Holding the gavel at CDD 2 board meetings, Schikora presided over some thorny issues, but always wanted to ensure that residents who stepped up to the podium were treated with respect and dignity.
Schikora is being remembered as standing with residents in the Village of Alhambra who were angry about their pond which was repeatedly drained by sinkholes as well as the host who frequently reached out to residents through question-and-answer sessions at the El Santiago Recreation Center.
Schikora had been diagnosed with cancer. He missed the CDD 2 board meeting in January, as his condition worsened.
Schikora was born and raised on the southside of Chicago, but he and his wife decided they did not want to try to have a family in the big city. They settled in Kalamazoo, Mich. and raised three children. Schikora sold commercial health insurance plans and owned and managed several rental properties. He was an active volunteer and even served as a guardian ad litem, helping children caught up in the court system.
After the loss of his wife, a neighbor introduced Schikora to Marguerite “Peggy” Tackett, also of the Village of Santo Domingo. They were engaged for several years, but maintained their own homes in the neighborhood.
She found him Sunday at his home, with his hands crossed over his chest.
Schikora is being cremated and no service is planned at this point. There will be a Celebration of Life gathering at a future date.
Tackett said that those who want to honor Schikora are being urged to donate to two of his favorite causes – the Public Broadcasting Service and the American Cancer Society.