It is with great sadness that the Marshall Center reports that William “Bill” Stokes, a long-time supporter and two-time member of the Board of Directors, passed away unexpectedly on Monday, Jan. 3, 2002. He was 57.
“We all have heavy hearts remembering our friend,” said Steve Chapin, Chairman of the Marshall Center Board of Directors. “Bill was a strong leader who epitomized the values of George C. Marshall and all that the Marshall Center represents. Beyond his leadership example, he was a good friend to many and a wise voice on key issues both at Dodona Manor and in the business world. We will dearly miss him.”
Bill served on the Marshall Center Board from 2014-2016 and 2019-2021. He served on the Executive Committee and, during both terms, chaired the development committee. He was key to extending the reach of the Marshall Center into local communities. Bill helped introduce LMI CEO Doug Wagoner to the organization, which led to foundational support for Five-Star Character: The George C. Marshall Ethical Leadership Conference. For his service to the Marshall Center, Bill was inducted into the Marshall Legacy Trust in November 2021.
He facilitated numerous important introductions in Middleburg and with German-American organizations that led to the creation of the German Friends of the Marshall Center. Bill served on the board of directors of the German-American Business Association and was director of the Manfred-Woerner-Seminar for German-American understanding.
Bill was a graduate of The Hill School in Middleburg, Phillips Exeter Academy (New Hampshire) and the College of William & Mary. He enjoyed a long and successful career in business consulting, and he was the founder and chairman of the successful Washington Network Group. Bill was also a past board member of the World Affairs Council of Washington (executive committee), the Phillips Exeter Academy Alumni Association of Washington (president) and The Hill School Alumni Association (president).
