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Bill
Knowing Bill helped us understand what it means when WWII vets are described as the greatest generation. He was unfailingly loyal to his family. He gave willingly to his friends. He adored his wife, and dedicated himself to making her happy throughout their (almost) 60 years of marriage.
He liked simple things like Poppy Cock, and peanut brittle, hot dogs and balsa wood airplanes. He enjoyed spending an afternoon watching a ball game or playing pinochle. He kept in touch with the kid inside, and laughed readily and often.
The back yard on Center Street was a place for kids to play and grow. For years he flooded it in the winter to create a skating rink. In the summer the rink was replaced with a swimming pool, badminton and basketball even though it tore up the grass he carefully tended. And later, when his kids were grown, he welcomed their friends to back yard parties, where he occupied a lawn chair and shared a joke or his wisdom, and enjoyed the company of the young adults.
He called himself a jack of all trades - always ready to do little woodworking, electrical or plumbing projects. He was the type of guy who started the job and could finish it, and was even kind enough to share some of his secrets: “If it should move and it doesn’t, WD-40. If it shouldn’t move and it does, Duct Tape.”
He was a humorist who borrowed freely from the great comedians of his day: Ernie Kovacs, Steve Allen, Cid Caesar, and possibly most from Red Skelton. He passed his love of comedy down to his children and grandchildren.
He readily embraced music from the 40’s through the Beatles in the 60’s and beyond and frequently could name not just the song, but the band and singer of any Big Band song that happened to play.
He filled our homes with the color of his art work.
Tolerance, understanding, acceptance and love are all traits he exemplified.
Knowing Bill helped us understand what it means when WWII vets are described as the greatest generation. He was unfailingly loyal to his family. He gave willingly to his friends. He adored his wife, and dedicated himself to making her happy throughout their (almost) 60 years of marriage.
He liked simple things like Poppy Cock, and peanut brittle, hot dogs and balsa wood airplanes. He enjoyed spending an afternoon watching a ball game or playing pinochle. He kept in touch with the kid inside, and laughed readily and often.
The back yard on Center Street was a place for kids to play and grow. For years he flooded it in the winter to create a skating rink. In the summer the rink was replaced with a swimming pool, badminton and basketball even though it tore up the grass he carefully tended. And later, when his kids were grown, he welcomed their friends to back yard parties, where he occupied a lawn chair and shared a joke or his wisdom, and enjoyed the company of the young adults.
He called himself a jack of all trades - always ready to do little woodworking, electrical or plumbing projects. He was the type of guy who started the job and could finish it, and was even kind enough to share some of his secrets: “If it should move and it doesn’t, WD-40. If it shouldn’t move and it does, Duct Tape.”
He was a humorist who borrowed freely from the great comedians of his day: Ernie Kovacs, Steve Allen, Cid Caesar, and possibly most from Red Skelton. He passed his love of comedy down to his children and grandchildren.
He readily embraced music from the 40’s through the Beatles in the 60’s and beyond and frequently could name not just the song, but the band and singer of any Big Band song that happened to play.
He filled our homes with the color of his art work.
Tolerance, understanding, acceptance and love are all traits he exemplified.