William Henry “Bill” Backlinie
William “Bill”Henry Backlinie, 80, of Dade City passed away peacefully on Oct 26, 2023. Bill was born on Sept. 13, 1943 in West Palm Beach, Fla., to Louie and Mary Ellen (Nalley) Backlinie. The family moved to Dade City in the late 1940s, where Bill attended St. Anthony of Padua and Pasco High School. Bill was a standout athlete in both football and baseball, playing for the Valdosta Red Sox and receiving all-conference honors as part of the 1961 Pasco High football team, who won the Southwest Florida conference championship.
Bill was a veteran of the Coast Guard but was an entrepreneur at heart, operating his masonry business in St. Augustine for nearly 15 years.
In the mid-1990s, Bill purchased his prized stallion, Reprized, and bred him for nearly 20 years on his farm in Ocala. Bill remained involved in horse racing for the remainder of his life and was a passionate supporter of the industry.
Bill was equally as passionate about his faith and his family, being a fourth degree and Grand Knight of Columbus. Bill volunteered his time to many Catholic parishes and remained an active advocate and mentor through the church for the incarcerated until the end of his life.
Bill is survived by his two daughters, Dina Amundsen of Brooksville, Fla., and Tami (Jason) Burris of Davidson, N.C.; three grandchildren, Ashley Amundsen of Greenville, S.C., Kyle Amundsen of Brooksville, Fla., and Jackson Burris of Davidson, N.C.; three great-grandchildren; his sister Charlene (Ronnie) Pitts of Dade City; his sister-in-law Sandra Backlinie of Dade City; his goddaughter Nancy Nalley, and many wonderful nieces, nephews and cousins.
Bill was predeceased in death by his parents and brother, Robert (Bobby) Backlinie.
In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to the Knights of Columbus Council 1768 or to the Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance.
