HASTINGS, MICH. — William E. (Bill) Dibble, retired executive vice-president of the Quality Bakers of America, died Oct. 30 in Hastings. He was 89 years old.

Mr. Dibble began his baking career in 1941 in Chicago as a production clerk with Interstate Bakeries’ Southside plant. After graduating from Siebel’s Institute in 1942 he joined the U.S. Army, serving in a field bakery unit in New Guinea, the Philippines and Japan. Discharged as a platoon sergeant in 1946, Mr. Dibble rejoined Interstate in its Grand Rapids, Mich., plant as assistant production manager. He was promoted to production manager of Interstate’s Peoria, Ill., plant before moving on to Milwaukee and finally Kansas City.

In 1957 he was named regional production manager, and he was promoted to manager of bread research in 1960. In 1963 he was named general production manager of bread at Interstate’s Kansas City headquarters. In 1973 Mr. Dibble was appointed vice-president, director of production, for all of Interstate’s bread and cake production.

Mr. Dibble retired from I.B.C. in 1978. After a brief stint at semi-retirement, he joined the Q.B.A. in Greenwich, Conn., as vice-president of technical affairs in 1980. He was named executive vice-president of the Q.B.A. in 1986.

Mr. Dibble was a member of the American Bakers Association, the American Society of Bakery Engineers, the Southern Baker’s Association and local Production Clubs.

In addition, he developed some unique fermentation processes, including a continuous fermentation system used in I.B.C. plants for many years. He was a proponent of simplified ingredient use.  Mr. Dibble also was instrumental in developing the Tender Curl moulder and the Rheograph for testing flour quality.