William R. Mapother was a third generation Louisville attorney of the firm Mapother & Mapother and a nationally renowned speaker. He was a bankruptcy consultant, who for over 30 years and in all 50 states taught seminars for banks, credit unions and lenders. He was a recipient of the prestigious Certified Speaking Professional designation of the National Speakers Association and was well-known for his clear, enthusiastic and entertaining style of public speaking. He was the author of 13 books on bankruptcy and since 1985 was a regular columnist for Credit Union Magazine. Mapother was the Kentucky Credit Union League attorney for more than three decades and the West Virginia Credit Union League attorney for more than a decade. He was admitted to private practice before the U.S. Supreme Court and was also a member of the Kentucky, Indiana, Ohio, Tennessee and West Virginia bar associations. At age 28, he became the youngest person to serve as a Jefferson County Juvenile Court Judge, a position he held from 1960-70. He was a member of the Edward Frederick Sorin Society of the University of Notre Dame and he served 21 years of volunteer service to ACCEPT Consumer Credit Counseling Program. In the early 1970s, he was president of the Louisville Chapter of Planned Parenthood. He was also a member of the Pendennis Club. Mr. Mapother was a graduate of St. Xavier High School, University of Notre Dame with honors and the University of Virginia Law School. He was a son of the late Thomas Cruise Mapother Jr. and Catherine Reibert Mapother. He was preceded in death by a brother, Thomas Cruise Mapother III. Mr. Mapother of Bowling Green died at Deaconess Hospital from complications due to pulmonary fibrosis and lung cancer at age 68.

Uncle of actor Tom Cruise.