Op/Ed: You answered if Bill called. Oesterle was one of Indianapolis' greatest conveners.
“If Bill is doing something, you want to be a part of it.”
“His loss is going to be deeply, deeply felt by a lot of people.”
“He was a job creator, a community builder, a lifelong advocate for Indiana and a person with an enormous heart for others.”
“His zeal and zest for life and others were second to none.”
These words, spoken by people who knew Bill Oesterle best, testify to love and respect elicited by Bill’s presence in our world.
Oesterle, certainly one of the biggest champions Indiana and his fellow Hoosiers have ever known, recently died from complications from ALS (commonly known as Lou Gehrig’s Disease).
He was only 57 years old, but his impact was powerful enough for several lifetimes.
Nothing tests one’s faith more than when bad things happen to good people. There are lights in this world and in our state, but one of the most meaningful, generous and authentic lights was cruelly taken from us.
Bill Oesterle's legacy: 'He cared about people:' Angie's List cofounder Bill Oesterle dies at 57
It’s been my great fortune to know (and work for) so many astounding leaders whose main mission in life was to tell the story of Indianapolis and its people. Unfortunately, we have lost too many of them in the past several years.
P.E. MacAllister, Amos Brown, Matt Tully, Marjorie O’Laughlin and Rozelle Boyd represent just a few of the giants of Indianapolis who are no longer with us.
Bill’s name belongs next on this list.
One of my deepest political hopes was to work on a “Bill Oesterle for Mayor” campaign. He would have been our Bill Hudnut for the 21st century.
Oesterle’s gifts were many, but he may have been, along with Jim Morris, our city’s greatest convener.
If Bill called, you answered. If he beckoned, you showed up. While I did not know him as well as others did, we had several conversations about politics, our state and our city.
What others are reading: Briggs: Bill Oesterle is dying. His last act is a sales pitch for Indiana.
Unsurprisingly, the one topic he never brought up was Bill Oesterle. All his accomplishments, his phenomenal Rolodex of friends and his immense success were never a subject for discussion.
Many of us first met him nearly 20 years ago when he was the campaign manager for Mitch Daniels’ first gubernatorial campaign (which is universally praised as one of the most brilliant campaigns in Indiana history); I’d like to tell you how many questions I asked him about the 2004 election, but they are too numerous to remember.
What I can recall without hesitation, however, is that he answered them all with verve, a laugh and a “let me tell you a quick story.”
Bill wielded his power and influence as a shield, not a sword. His prominence increased dramatically when he spoke against the Religious Freedom Restoration Act in 2015. I witnessed his skills from the front row as I was working for Gov. Mike Pence at the time.
He also endeared himself to many of us Eastsiders when he focused his talents on revitalizing the Elevator Hill area. His motto could have been “no neighborhood and no persons left behind.”
One of my favorite memories of Bill was seeing him at the McGinley’s Golden Ace having a beer at lunchtime after finishing one of his punishing runs. He always seemed so happy, so ready to excel at his next challenge.
So, while we are bowing our heads in memory of Bill’s immeasurable contributions to our community, let’s also raise a glass to the light he carried with him wherever he was.
To paraphrase a fitting Bible verse, Bill Oesterle fought the good fight, he finished his course, he kept the faith.
Robert Vane is the principal at public relations firm Veteran Strategies Inc. He was deputy chief of staff and communications director in the Mayor Greg Ballard administration and served in the United States Army.
This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: Bill Oesterle: A champion of Indianapolis as well as Indiana
