William (Bill,) 85, of Chatham, died of Covid-19 on Monday, March 20 after a 10 year struggle with Alzheimer’s.
He leaves his sister, Elinor (Daisy) Crane of Concord, his devoted wife of 62 years Kathryn (Kay), as well as four children: Laura King, Anne Milne, Lise Wilson & William F. DeFord, seven grandchildren & one great granddaughter.
Bill was born in Brookline, the only son of William & Elinor DeFord. He was raised in the town of Lincoln, a bucolic suburb of Boston.
Bill’s education began at the Fenn School in Concord class of ‘51. His secondary schooling was at Middlesex ‘class of ’55 and Harvard College, class of ’59.
While attending Harvard, Bill was a member of the Owl Club and proudly enrolled in the Army ROTC and was commissioned as a 2nd lieutenant at the time of graduation. Bill served in the army reserves for 8 years until his retirement in 1967 with the rank of Captain.
Bill was a truly gifted athlete who enjoyed nearly all sports. Bill played football for Middlesex as well as hockey earning both silver & gold medals. While at Harvard, Bill Played 4 years of varsity hockey winning a gold medal for playing on the undefeated Ivy League Championship team in 1957. While he was a strong leader on and off the ice, he was always a valuable team player. You wanted Bill on your team!
Upon graduation he was honored with an invitation to play on the 1960 Olympic team.
Bill delighted in his role of “Dad” to his four children sharing with them his expertise and wide breath of knowledge in sailing, skating, fishing, gardening, wind direction and the ever shifting tides. It was Bill’s love of the ocean that led to the rocky coast of Cohasset where the family often spent summers. He spent many a Sunday afternoon sailing his Laser from Scituate to Boston Light and back. No doubt enjoying the solitude away from the stress and hustle of the working world and communing with nature all the while listening to classical music.
Bill’s professional career was in the fine paper industry for more than 40 years retiring in 1998 as Vice President of Wilcox, Walter Furlong & Company during those years he mentored numerous young people and volunteered weekend time on the Board of Directors of the Codding School.
Bill’s uncanny ability to fix all things broken or need of repair earned him the nickname Mr. Fix-it. You could count on him either tending his garden, feeding the birds, or on a ladder cleaning the gutters. Children of all ages would bring a broken toy, a sick pet or bicycle to Bill. He would always stop what he was doing, to mend the broken treasure and quell the tears that often accompanied the patients.
As a quintessential family man, Bill set the bar very high. His marriage of 62 years was filled with a variety of challenging and rewarding projects that he and Kay undertook. In 1998, they moved from their home of 35 years in Concord, MA to Chatham Cape Cod buying what was then, the Cranberry Inn (now the Chatham Inn). The 18 room inn provided Bill with ample projects to fill his retirement years AND THEN SOME. It was truly a labor of love for 15 years.
Bill was a man, comfortable in his own skin. His integrity was admirable, “his smile infectious, his laugh contagious” and he lifted up everyone around him. His presence in the room was “charismatic.” His loving nature lives on through his family and everyone who knew him.
Bon Voyage.
A visiting hour for Bill will be held Sunday, May 7, 2023 from 11:00 AM to 12:00 PM at Nickerson Funeral Home, 77 Eldredge Park Way, Orleans, MA, followed by a memorial service at 12:00 PM. A light lunch will follow the service.
In lieu of flowers, donations in Bill's memory may be made to the Alzheimer's Association. Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.nickersonfunerals.com for the DeFord family.
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