William Hamilton Shortt III

William was born in Meadville, Pennsylvania. He served 4 years in the Navy and 16 years in the Coast Guard, then settled his family in San Jose. Beloved husband to Maria of 52 years, loving father of Mike, Laura Marroquin and Anna(Alex Thomas) and devoted grandfather to Gabriella Riccardi-Shortt. An avid outdoorsman, Willy shared his passion for hiking, camping, fishing, and hunting with his children and many of their neighborhood friends. He delighted in family trips to the mountains and beaches of California, especially places where he could bring his cherished Chesapeake Bay Retrievers. Indoors, Willy showed us the beauty of dancing like no one was watching, as he was often the first one out on the dance floor. And if the band were playing polka music, he would be the last to leave. Committed to a life of sobriety for 57 years, Willy embraced Alcoholics Anonymous as both a personal journey of healing, and a vehicle for him to give back what he was given. He spent the majority of his life attending meetings and volunteering to help others in their recovery, by taking them to coffee, to AA meetings, sponsoring them on a more personal level, or even bringing them home to a family meal. His devotion to recovery inspired countless people. Celebration of his life will be held on Saturday, August 24th at 1:00 p.m. at Lima Family Santa Clara, 466 N. Winchester Blvd., Santa Clara.