William Frederick Haug

William Frederick Haug, 93, passed away peacefully, surrounded by loved ones on December 12, 2024, after a brief illness. A native Arizonan, Bill was born in 1931 in Globe to parents Paul and Alice Haug. Alice didn’t know she would give birth to twins, and Bill was the “bonus baby” born after his identical twin brother, John. The two boys joined older brother, Douglas, and their family was complete. He resided in the Phoenix area for most of his life. 

The twins managed to find adventure wherever they could, including at Fort Huachuca while their dad was helping to restore buildings at the Fort. Bill and John tracked mountain lions, rode donkeys (unsuccessfully), and built a track from old mining equipment using an old ore cart to create a one-way manual roller coaster. Their dad owned Standard Roofing Co. and they worked on Saturdays in the storage room and sort nails. They got 25 cents for a half day’s work but were always eager to work for spending money. 

Bill attended Creighton School, North High School and later went on to attend Phoenix College. He completed his undergraduate degree at the University of Arizona where he majored in accounting. He and his brother John were both members of Delta Sigma Phi Fraternity. The brothers wanted to join the FBI as special agents. When that didn’t work out as planned, Bill decided he didn’t want to be an accountant and went back to school. In 1956, he received his law degree from the University of Arizona. While attending the University of Arizona, he met his wife, Nancy Goddard, when they were set up by mutual friends. The couple celebrated their 70th wedding anniversary this past summer. 

After graduating from the University of Arizona, Bill joined what was then the largest law firm in Phoenix, the 14-lawyer firm of Jennings, Strouss & Salmon, where he practiced for the next 25 years. In 1981, he became a partner of Jennings, Kepner & Haug (now known as Jennings Haug Keleher McLeod Waterfall) where he practiced until his retirement in 2011. 

He acted on his belief that lawyers should serve their communities. Bill’s community involvement included serving for 10 years as an elected member of the Creighton Elementary School District Board, where he was Board President on three occasions. He was also an Elder and President of the Memorial Presbyterian Church in Phoenix, where he and Nancy are members, and also found the time to serve as President of the Camelback Little League. He coached his daughters’ softball teams every summer and participated in Indian Y Guides with his son. 

Bill’s service to the legal community was strong. For several years, he served on the Maricopa County Bar Association’s Board of Directors, gladly accepting the role of President from 1974-1975. He was also a member of the Maricopa County Bar Association’s Hall of Fame. In addition, Bill spent many years serving on the Board of Governors of the Arizona State Bar and served as President of the Arizona State Bar from 1982-1983. 

In 2006, the Construction Law Section of the Arizona State Bar, of which Bill was a founding member, honored him for his 50 years of exemplary service in the field of construction and surety law with a special Award of Recognition. 

He was involved in the creation of the Arizona Foundation for Legal Services and served as the Foundation’s President in 1994. In June 2004, Arizona Governor Janet Napolitano showed her appreciation for his dedication to the Foundation for Legal Services by recognizing him with the Silver Star Award for his instrumental role in creating the Foundation. In 2007, Bill was the recipient of the Walter E. Craig Distinguished Service Award from the Arizona Foundation for Legal Services. This award is presented by the Foundation to an attorney who has manifested adherence to the highest principles and traditions of the legal profession, and service to the public in the community in which he lives. 

Bill was also a founding member of the Maricopa County Bar Foundation, the charitable arm of the county’s bar association. In 2006, he received the Volunteer Lawyers Program Pro Bono Lifetime Achievement Award, recognizing his leadership in the establishment of laws that protect the rights of all citizens. 

Bill served in various leadership capacities for the Torts and Insurance Practice Section of the American Bar Association and the Fidelity and Surety Law Committee of that Section. Bill was Chairman of the Fidelity and Surety Law Committee and also served as the Secretary/Treasurer for the Torts and Insurance Practice Section. In January 2001, the American Bar Association’s Fidelity and Surety Law Committee presented him with the Martin J. Andrew Lifetime Achievement Award to recognize his substantial contributions to the committee, as well as to the fidelity and surety industry. His entire family showed up as a surprise in New York City that January to watch him receive his award. Likewise, the surety industry, through the Surety Association of America, awarded Bill the SIO Silver Award in 1998, recognizing his outstanding contributions to the development of surety law nationwide.

While Bill was not a man of large physical stature, he was a giant in every way that mattered. Thanks to his legal acumen, his national reputation, his dedication to serving the community and the bar, and in his role as husband, father, grandfather and great-grandfather, Bill positively impacted the lives of many. He believed strongly in professionalism and treating everyone with respect and collegiality, legal adversaries included. 

Bill and Nancy loved to travel the world. Europe, Alaska, Bermuda and Lake Powell were some of their favorite destinations. They shared their love of travel with their family, taking their children and grandchildren on all kinds of adventures. The couple was known for hosting lavish themed parties at their home as they enjoyed entertaining and bringing people together. Bill was always seen coercing his family to take Polaroids at Christmas and he manned the camera every year. He was an avid sports fan and was a season ticket holder for the Phoenix Suns and Arizona Diamondbacks. Hunting, fishing and the outdoors was his passion, and he continued his pursuit for the perfect trophy into his 80s. For many years after work you could find him skimming the leaves from his pool to relax after a day at the office. 

Bill is survived by a large and loving family: wife Nancy Haug, twin brother John Haug; daughters Joni Haug (Kevin Baltzell), Julie Haug, Janis Haug, Jenni Schroeder (Jim) and son Jon Haug (Gigi); niece Katherine Alice Haug; grandchildren Janelle Ammel (Drew), Kyle Haug, Rainy Lawstemm (Matt), Kimberly Bradshaw (Tyler), Asher Baltzell (Casey) and Seva Haug Baltzell; five great-grandchildren and his beloved dog Inka.

 A Celebration of Life will be held on January 10, 2025, at 2 p.m. at Whitney & Murphy Funeral Home, 4800 E. Indian School Road, Phoenix. A reception will follow at the Haug’s home. 

A fund has been established in Bill’s honor with the Arizona Foundation for Legal Services & Education, and donations are accepted online at https://www.azbf.org/awards/memorials/haug-memorial or by mail.