William Jefferson Blythe Jr. lost control of his 1942 Buick on U.S. Route 60 outside of Sikeston, Missouri, after one of his car's tires blew out. He survived the accident after being thrown from the car, but drowned in a drainage ditch as he tried to pull his way out of the three feet (1 meter) of water in the ditch. Three months later, Blythe's widow, Virginia, gave birth to their son, whom she named William Jefferson Blythe III in honor of his father and grandfather. In 1950, Blythe's widow married Roger Clinton Sr.; 12 years later, Blythe's posthumous son legally adopted his stepfather's
William Wrigley III horse business, first established at Catalina Island, was moved to Lake Geneva in the 1970s. The family's annual 4th of July fireworks display was a tradition in which he participated personally by selecting each component. He was a benefactor of the arts, enjoyed the American cinema, and was on the board at the University of Southern California's School of Cinema Television, now called USC School of Cinematic Arts. William Wrigley III William A. Wrigley III, known as William Wrigley, (January 21, 1933 – March 8, 1999) was president of the Wm. Wrigley Jr. Company, founded by his grandfather William Wrigley,