William Henry Suber, Sr.

William Henry Suber Sr., adopted son of Henry Suber and Mary Suber and the biological son of William Ernest Stewart, was born on December 24, 1928 in Indianola, Mississippi. He was the second youngest of five children. As a young boy, his mother remarried to George Campbell and they eventually moved to Bronx, NY where he attended PS32 Grade School and Morris High School in Bronx, NY. He ran track and placed in the Penn Relay Records and received his high school diploma in 1948. William, known to his friends as "Bill"' and to his family as "Lil Henry", met the love of his life when he first moved to Bronx, Delphener Purry. As childhood sweethearts in 1943, at the age of 14, they both lived on the same block, 168th & Tinton Avenue, Bronx, NY. They were later married on September 29, 1954, after his return from his Army enlistment during the Korean War. To this union, they had five children, two while living in NY, William H. Suber Jr. and Lionel A. Suber. They then moved to Chicago, Illinois in 1957, and brought forth three additional children, Darryl E. Suber, Delphener D. Suber and Christopher P. Suber. During his earlier years as a young man in his 20's, he held various jobs in New York as a bus driver and truck driver. He was also raised in the Masonic Order as a 3rd Degree Master Mason Most Worshipful, Jephthah Prince Hall Lodge in Harlem, NY. He moved with his step-father to West Virginia to a small town right outside Charleston, WV, Kayford to help support his mother living in NY, before enlisting into the United States Army in January 1952. He was assigned to the 82nd Airborne (Paratrooper) after completing jump school at Fort Bragg, North Carolina. When he first came to Chicago in 1957, he stayed with his uncle "Bob" Robert Stewart. The very next morning, he went out to look for employment and before the day was over, he had secured a job with CTA as a Bus Driver. Within a few years, he also began working for Greyhound as a part-time driver in 1960 and in 1962, he was finally able to secure full-time employment as one of Greyhound's first black Drivers. William endured a lot of racism and harassment during the 60's. William was a true trailblazer and mentor to many others. He later became Greyhound's First Black Driving Instructor and the First Black to receive a dedicated bus named in his honor as a Silver Stripe Recipient the 25 years of safety, having driven for Greyhound and never being involved in a chargeable accident during his career. On May 6, 2016, William fell asleep in death after a sudden massive stroke. He was preceded in death by his parents; four siblings, Leatha, Eddie, Evelyn and Ernest; one son, Darryl E. Suber; and his beloved wife, Delphener P. Suber "Dell" in 2013. William leaves to cherish his memories, his children, William H. (Geraldine) Suber Jr., Lionel A. (Hope) Suber, Delphener D. Suber and Christopher P. Suber; granddaughters, Barbara A. Suber, Cherri D. Suber and Reign A. Suber; grandsons, William H. Suber III, Elliott C. Suber, John Paul Adegbile and London P. Suber; six great grandchildren; and a host of great-great grandchildren to carry on his lineage, as well as a host of nieces, nephews, great nieces, great nephews, other relatives and friends.

Tributes

William Henry Suber, Sr.

December 24, 1928 - May 6, 2016