Bill Sandbach - John Ford Highlanders

[John Haack]

A sad note to pass on here. Bill Sandbach, founding member and Pipe Major of the John Ford Highland Pipe Band passed away this weekend. I've known Bill my entire piping life. He was taking some brush-up lessons with the band I was learning from when I first got started. I continued to get to know him better over the years as our bands would mix and mingle at various events around town.

Here's a guy, that just about everybody in St. Louis knew, and thought fondly of. You should have seen him on a parade route. I swear, every other person on the side of the road knew him and would come shake his hand or give him a hug.

To Bill's family and our friends in his extended family...the John Ford Highland Pipe Band, the thoughts and prayers of St. Louis Caledonian Pipe Band are with you.

Originally Posted by The St. Louis Post-Dispatch

Sandbach, William E. on Friday, August 15, 2008. Dear husband of the late Shirley M Sandbach (nee Rathert); dear father of William K. Sandbach, David (Amy) Sandbach; loving grandfather of Abigail, Josephine, Charlotte, Caroline, and David Sandbach Jr; dear friend of Patricia CarrFroeckmann. Bill served in WW II as a member of the Seabees. He was a founding member of the John Ford Highland Bagpipe Band and was pipe major since its inception in 1969. In lieu of flowers, memorials to The Backstoppers Inc., P.O. Box 66927, St. Louis, MO 63166, would be appreciated. Services: Funeral Weds. 10 a.m. at Life Christian Church, 13001 Gravois, Sunset Hills (63127) with visitation at church from 9:00 a.m. until time of service at 10:00 a.m. Committal service at 12:30 p.m., Quercus Grove Cemetery, Edwardsville, IL.Visitation: Tues. 2-9 p.m. at JOHN L. ZIEGENHEIN & SONS 7027 Gravois (63116).

[Bagpipes48]

I am so sorry to hear of Mr. Sandbach's passing in 2008. I was in the Army in STL from 2000 - 2004 and I began my piping lessons with him and his troupe at the American Legion. I didn't take long then because I was PCSed (moved by the Army) to another unit elsewhere. I have now been taking lessons actively for well over a year. I surely did want to visit with him - guess I'll have to wait until I get to Heaven now. Great, gentle and patient man. I will/do miss him.