William Tudor ApMadoc, Jr. passed peacefully Oct. 21, 2023, at the age of 103 in Mt. Juliet, Tenn.
He was born in Evanston, Ill., on Dec. 21, 1919. His parents were William Tudor ApMadoc, a lawyer and state legislator, and Nelle Gill ApMadoc.
Tudor was preceded in death by his loving wife Vivian ApMadoc (Dove) and his sister, Mary ApMadoc. Tudor is survived by sons and a daughter from a former marriage: Denby (Helen) Smith of Greenville, S. C., Gwynne Brandt of Mt. Juliet, Tenn., William Tudor ApMadoc III of Farmington Hills, and Gill ApMadoc of Aurora, Ind. He also leaves eight grandchildren and many great-grandchildren.
Tudor grew up in Evanston, Ill., where he attended Elgin Academy. He joined the Army Air Corps during World War II, serving as an aircraft inspector.
After the war, he moved to Clarkston, where he raised his family and was employed by Mead Johnson Pharmaceuticals as a sales representative. In 1991, he and Vivian moved to Green Valley, Ariz.
Tudor was an avid trout fisherman, whose favorite fishing spot was the Au Sable River in Michigan, where he and a group of close friends enjoyed their traditional annual fishing trips for many years. He also traveled to other areas, including Montana, Argentina, and remote lakes of Ontario, Canada. He was active in Trout Unlimited, where he was a past president of the Paul Young Chapter.
While in his 50s, he began playing tennis for sport and fitness, eventually competing on clay, grass, hard, and indoor courts in national championship tournaments. He was the U.S. Tennis Association No. 1-ranked player in the men’s 90s age division in 2009, for both singles and doubles. He was a gold medal winner at the age of 90 in the World Senior Games, and was invited to represent the U.S. at the Bill Lurie World Tennis Tournament.
Tudor was very social, with many close friends, and was a true gentleman. He loved cooking and entertaining at home with friends, as well as dining out. He had a passion for gardening, especially tending to his beautiful roses in Green Valley.
Tudor continued to amaze his family and friends with his independent nature, commitment to health and fitness, and making new friends. It was clear that he had become somewhat of a legend in the Green Valley tennis community.
He touched many hearts over the years, and will be dearly missed by all.