William J. Fling died on April 23, 2005 at the age of 75. He had spent much of the year in the hospital battling an assortment of health concerns.
     Among his many accomplishments, he was the founder of The Gramercy Park Republican Club. Additionally, he was instrumental in the creation and vision of The TR Group.
     In 2002 The TR Group presented William J. Fling with its first "Rough Rider" award for a lifetime of Republican activism. He was

a longtime District Leader in the Republican Party.
     Known as "Bill" to his closest friends, he was a selfless man who placed the needs of the Republican Party and New York City first. In 2001 he recruited Michelle Bouchard to run for City Council, and he helped make her campaign one of the most competetive races the West side of Manhattan had seen up until that time.
     Through The Gramercy Park Republican Club and on his own, Bill Fling registered

hundreds, perhaps thousands, of voters. A generation of New Yorkers received letters from William J. Fling when they registered to vote as Republicans.
     Bill Fling worked tirelessly on all of Rudolph Giuliani's Mayoral campaigns, and Bill was proud of his accomplishments helping elect Mayor Giuliani. However, Bill worked equally hard on local races.
     He is survived by three daughters, a grandchild, his brother, and his sister. A private man, many details of Bill Fling's past are not known.
     He worked in the computer industry since its inception. Much of his time was spent in the Information Technologies department at Sara Lee.
     He also had a line of gloves and other clothing items under the name "The Bill Fling Collection." For a year he served this nation as a member of the Air Force.
     Plans for a memorial service are in the works.