William Babchuk Obituary

William Ihor Babchuk, M.D. age 72, of Cicero, IN passed away peacefully at home in his sleep on October 27, 2025.
William was born on June 23, 1953, in Chicago, Illinois, to Vasyl and Anna Babchuk. His family immigrated from Ukraine following WWII, initially living in Chicago prior to settling in Monterey, Indiana, where, through much hard work and perseverance, they built a large poultry operation. Through his upbringing, William developed an unparalleled work ethic, boundless curiosity, and innovative resourcefulness which would serve him – and others – well throughout his life.
William graduated from Indiana University in 1975 and received his medical degree from Universidad del Noreste in 1983. He completed his residency training in radiology at Mount Carmel Mercy Hospital in Detroit, Michigan where he was appointed the honor of Chief Resident. He completed an additional fellowship in nuclear medicine at William Beaumont Hospital in Royal Oak, Michigan. William received his board certification in diagnostic radiology in 1989. He spent most of his medical career as a radiologist practicing at St. Joseph Memorial Hospital and Howard Regional Hospital in Kokomo, IN and later at Tipton Memorial Hospital in Tipton, IN. Given his passion for sharing his knowledge with others, he served as an excellent Director of the radiology technologist program. He was known to be friendly, approachable, and compassionate, and was honored when he received Friendliest Doctor Award. William loved helping others, and his immense knowledge and expert skills coupled with his compassionate and kind nature enabled him to make an immeasurable difference in the lives of so many patients throughout his long practice.
Outside of work, William was an avid traveler, proudly making his way to nearly every Caribbean island, as well as many more international and domestic destinations. Traveling to him was an opportunity to appreciate the world's natural beauty, experience new cultures, and make new connections. One of William's favorite ways to enjoy his excursions was to charter a sailboat, as he had his Captain's license for up to 50-foot vessels. As a certified scuba diver, he also enjoyed exploring the beautiful blue waters of the Caribbean. No matter where William traveled, it was always an exciting adventure.
William also continued the legacy of the family farm, purchasing his first parcel of land when he was still in high school. Over the years he acquired more land and took pride in working the soil, maintaining the farm, and his many projects.
Throughout his life, William was known for his unconditional love and support for those he loved. He took great pride in his family; cherishing time spent with his children and always guiding them to grow and flourish. He empowered others in many ways, always offering words of encouragement, sharing his wisdom, and doing all he could to help them find happiness, learn something new, and reach their full potential.
William is survived by his two children, Lauren Babchuk (Abed Al Oklah) and Jennifer Babchuk (Nick Petrocelli); his beloved granddaughter, Juliana Petrocelli; and his brother, George Babchuk. He was preceded in death by his parents, Vasyl and Anna Babchuk.
A celebration of life will be held on November 15, 2025 at 3:00pm at Flanner Buchanan-Hamilton Memorial Park, Prairie Waters located at 4180 Westfield Road, Westfield, Indiana 46074. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made to Razom for Ukraine, a nonprofit organization that supports the war effort in Ukraine and strives to achieve a secure, prosperous and democratic future for the country – a cause that William avidly supported and was passionate about.
William's free spirit, generosity, passion for learning, humble brilliance, creative problem solving and zest for life are qualities for which he will be deeply missed, forever remembered, and always loved - most of all because he used all of his gifts and best qualities to make a meaningful impact on everyone he could throughout his wonderful life.